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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Augustins Tower, located on Rue Carreterie in Avignon (Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), was originally the belfry of the church of the Priory of Augustins. Built between 1372 and 1377, it incorporates remains dating from the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th centuries, reflecting several phases of construction. Its slender appearance (32 meters high for 4.50 meters wide) and its wrought iron campanile, added to accommodate a bell, make it a remarkable architectural element of the Avignon heritage.

In 1497, a clock was installed on the tower in response to complaints from the inhabitants of the neighborhood, who failed to hear the hours sounded by the belfry of the town hall. A first bell, deemed insufficient, was replaced in 1562 by a bell from the priory next to Montfavet. These developments illustrate the importance of the tower in the daily and religious life of the local community.

During the French Revolution in 1796, the priory of the Augustins was sold as a national good, but the tower, with its clock, remained municipal property. It was classified as historical monuments by order of 11 December 1912, recognizing its heritage value. Today, it remains an architectural witness to the urban and religious transformations of Avignon throughout the centuries.

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