Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Square Tower of Sainte-Maxime is a military building built in the 16th century to protect local fishermen from pirate raids. Initiated in 1519 by François de Rivière, Abbé du Thoronet, his first phase was limited to one level. The materials used — shale, limestone, bricks for frames — and its sober structure (two square floors on the ground floor) reflect pragmatic defensive architecture. The rectangular cannons, facing south and west, bear witness to its original vocation.

In 1557, Abbé Jacques Jouvenel des Ursins re-launched the work as part of a settlement project, adding a second level. The tower, sold as a national property in 1791, became the common house. Between 1856 and 1859, a third floor was added to accommodate the town hall and a school, with dedicated interior arrangements (counsel room, teacher's housing). Its walls, then covered with crepi, will be restored in 1969, again revealing the original stones.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 1977 for its facades and roofs, the tower has been home to the Museum of Local Traditions since 1985. Its evolution illustrates the transition from a defensive work to a civic symbol, marked by successive adaptations: the transformation of the bays into full-angle windows, the suppression of the crepi, or its current cultural vocation. Its history also reflects the changes of Sainte-Maxime, from a fishing village exposed to pirates to a commune structured around its institutions.

Future

Small local museum

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