Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The walls of Apt, built in the 14th century, protected the medieval town in the present department of Vaucluse. Among their few remaining remains, the Ho Tower (or Hospital Tower), erected in 1376, dominates the landscape south of the city, facing the Saignon Rock. This round tower, integrated into the hospital gardens until the 19th century, escaped the demolitions of the 1830s thanks to its use as a fence. Today it preserves its mâchicoulis, protected by a modern roof, as well as a portion of the round road.

The Saignon Gate, located east of the city, is the other major vestige of the medieval enclosure. These ramparts, partially destroyed in the 19th century, were designed to defend Apt, a strategic city in Provence. The Ho Tower, classified as a Historic Monument since 1927, illustrates the military architecture of the period, with its characteristic defensive elements such as the mâchicoulis. His name comes from his proximity to the old hospital, whose gardens were preserved.

Beyond their defensive role, the walls of Apt reflect the medieval urban organization in Provence, where the cities girded walls to protect themselves from conflicts and looting. Their present state, though fragmentary, offers a tangible testimony of this period, supplemented by historical sources such as the Merimée bases and the local archives. The tower, located today on the Boulevard National (formerly Boulevard Marshal Foch), remains a symbol of the Aptesian heritage.

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