Transfer under papal authority 1274 (≈ 1274)
Bollene ceded to the Pope
XIIIe siècle
Initial construction
Initial construction XIIIe siècle (≈ 1350)
Watch Tower or Guard Corps
XVe siècle
Change of owners
Change of owners XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
Acquisition by Pierre de la Baume
1619
Repurchase by Saint-Nicolas College
Repurchase by Saint-Nicolas College 1619 (≈ 1619)
Housing of the monks of Saint-Martin
2015
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 2015 (≈ 2015)
Total site protection
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
House of the Tower and prison tower, located 1, rue de la Tour: the house of the Tower in total; the entire tower of the old prisons; the remains of the longitudinal building linking the tower to the prison tower; the faux-braie and the ground of the court forming parcel BX 207: inscription by order of 19 July 2015
Key figures
Alphonse de Poitiers - Lord of Bollene
Possessor in the 13th century
Pierre de la Baume - Lord of Suze
Owner in the 15th century
Origin and history
The house of the Tower and the prison tower form a medieval architectural complex located in Bollène, in the Vaucluse. The elements of the prison tower, such as its vaulted vaulted rooms and bolt holes, attest to a 13th century construction, probably as a watchtower or watchtower. At that time, Bollene was under the domination of Alphonse de Poitiers, then of the Pope from 1274. These buildings reflect the strategic importance of the site, shared by several powerful co-owners.
In the 15th century, the ensemble passed into the hands of Pierre de la Baume, lord of Suze, before changing two owners. In 1619, it was bought by the Collège Saint-Nicolas of Annecy to house the monks of the nearby Saint-Martin priory. The tower-residence, designated in the ancient texts as the house of the Tower, was connected to the prison tower by a body of transverse building until the Revolution. Its architecture, with a polygonal staircase and a covered round road, evokes that of the Popes' Palace.
The ensemble was listed as a historical monument in 2015, protecting the Tower House in its entirety, the prison tower, the remains of the longitudinal building, as well as the faux-braie and the court floor. These protections highlight the heritage value of a site marked by nearly eight centuries of history, combining defensive, residential and religious functions.
