Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Arlet Tower, also known as the Arles Tower, is a medieval tower house built in the third quarter of the 13th century in Caussade, Tarn-et-Garonne. This brick monument, with a sub-rectangular plan (8 m x 11 m), is distinguished by its ostentatious facades adorned with geminated bays and interior painted decorations. It was initially composed of three levels: a utility ground floor and two living floors, connected by a wooden staircase. The tower was located against the first enclosure of the city, near the church Notre-Dame-de-l'Assumption.

According to the archives, construction is attributed to the family of Lalo, a local patriotic lineage. An inventory of 1295, after the death of Gausbert de Lalo, mentions a "Mayo near the Estivenque gate" probably corresponding to this tower. In the 15th century, the property passed to the Castanède family, then to the Arles family (or Arlet), which gave it its present name. The tower served as a place of Catholic worship during the Wars of Religion, when the church was destroyed in 1570.

Ranked as a Historic Monument in 1989, the tower underwent major restorations between 1997 and 1999, revealing its 13th and 14th century murals. These sets, including fake cameras, geometric patterns and a tournament scene, testify to the aristocratic status of its owners. Archaeological excavations confirmed a single-phase construction, except for the later addition of the upper part. Today the tower retains its medieval dispositions despite modifications in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Arlet Tower is a rare example of a civil tower in the Midi de la France, illustrating the urbanization of Occitan villages in the 13th century. Its architecture reflects both a defensive function, with thick walls (85-90 cm at the base), and a desire for ostentation, visible in its neat openings and interior decorations. The paintings, restored in 2009, offer an overview of medieval artistic techniques in the region.

The building is now owned by the municipality of Caussade. Its history is documented by archaeological studies, including those carried out by the Hades office in 1995, and archival sources such as the Compoix (Ancient Cadastre) of 1535 and 1640. These documents reveal that the tower was part of a set of houses aligned along the first enclosure, of which only a few remains remain.

External links