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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Tivoli Tower, located in Valréas (Vaucluse), is a vestige of the medieval fortifications of the city. It was part of a enclosure mentioned in 1231, rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries. This enclosure consisted of six doors and towers of varied plan (rectangular or semi-circular), with arches and a round path. The tower of Tivoli, also known as Croupatière, is attested in 1430 and consists of a ground floor vaulted in cradle, two floors and a crenellated terrace on mâchicoulis.

The enclosure, maintained until the Revolution, gradually disappeared between 1843 and 1932, with the exception of the Tivoli Tower and a portion of courtine. The gaps were closed between 1761 and the early 19th century. Three doors (La Marche, La Recluse, Saint-Antoine) existed around 1380, joined in 1430 by three others (Berteuil, Saint-Vincent and a new portal). The Market Gate was rebuilt in 1835, while the others disappeared in the 19th century.

Tivoli Tower has been listed as a historical monument since December 12, 1932. Today it belongs to the municipality of Valreas and is one of the few testimonies of the medieval fortifications of the city. Its architecture reflects the defensive techniques of the period, with elements such as mâchicoulis and archères, typical of the military buildings of the lower Middle Ages in Provence.

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