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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The tower of Cazaban is a medieval building located in Palaja, in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is mentioned as an ancient bell tower transformed into a dovecote in the 18th century, and its origins date back to at least the 12th century. The tower, of square plan, is reinforced by foothills and presents architectural traces like a arch in full hanger and a door of the same style. It was restored in 2013 and has been listed as a historical monument since 1953.

Archaeological excavations carried out in 1990 revealed the remains of an 11th century church, the Church of Saint Sepulchre and Saint Foulc, as well as foundations, tombs and silos during work in 2012. These findings suggest that the tower was initially linked to a priory. Between 2015 and 2017, the town of Palaja carried out works to enhance the site, which measures about 18 meters by 37 meters according to the information panels.

An 18th century piece plan evokes a windmill at the location of the tower, then called Mme de Palaja's mill. The structure, in regular horizontal seats, has an upper part arranged in dovecote with a distinctive headband. The tower was officially protected by an order of April 24, 1953, marking its heritage importance in the area.

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