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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The tower of Monaco, also known as lo Portal, is an old town gate located in Mur-de-Barrez, in the department of Aveyron. Built in the 15th century, it was part of a fortified complex including a rampart and at least four defense towers, erected between 1435 and 1440 according to a convention between Bonne de Berry and the inhabitants. This tower served as the main entrance into the city and symbolized its strategic role in the Carladez region.

Although his name evokes the princes of Monaco, he actually reflects a period after 1643, when Mur-de-Barrez and Carladez became their property. The original fortifications, including the castle, were ordered to destroy by Henry IV, then effectively shaved under Louis XIII in 1620. The Tower of Monaco, spared, was classified as a historical monument by decree of 24 December 1913, becoming one of the few testimonies of the medieval defenses of the city.

Architecturally, the tower underwent modifications: its mâchicoulis were partially dismantled, leaving only two rows of crows, and it was raised at an indefinite time, as indicated by a change of apparatus. In the 20th century, a monument to the dead (1923) was attached to one of its walls, and a small neo-medieval building was joined to it in the east. Today, it still houses the municipal clock, recalling its central role in urban life since the Middle Ages.

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