Tour Philippe-le-Bel, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, France

Tour Philippe-le-Bel is a medieval tower in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon which marked the French terminus of the Saint-Bénézet Bridge across the Rhone between the Kingdom of France and Papal territory of Avignon. It is named after the French king Philippe-le-Bel (Philip IV 'the Fair') who was responsible for its construction.

A tower with only two storeys was completed in 1302. In spite of protests from the Count of Provence and the population of Avignon, Philippe-le-Bel pressed ahead and built a gatehouse at the end of the bridge. The tower and gatehouse formed part of a fortress with a curtain wall that enclosed several buildings including a chapel and a residence for the châtelain. A third storey was added to the tower in the middle of the 14th century.

The Saint-Bénézet Bridge was abandoned in 1669 and the fortress then ceased to serve any useful function. The French crown continued to pay for repairs but after the French Revolution the buildings were abandoned and allowed to fall into ruins. In 1822 the town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon decided to demolish all of the fortress except the present tower. It was listed as a Monument historique in 1862 and is now open to the public.

References:

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User Reviews

Chris Peck (2 years ago)
Cool from the outside. Didn’t go through the tour. I recommend Parker here and walking through the town to get to the small village on the other side.

James Minor (2 years ago)
Phillipe-le-Bel Tower has a 4.5 euro admission fee. After paying, you climb up the equivalent of 7 flights of stairs to get to a wide open terrace with a 360 degree view of the surrounding river and the city of Avignon. I really recommend it!

Alice Goss (2 years ago)
Only €4.50 entrance fee to a tower built in 1302 - 1350. Video displays on first floor and stunning views of Avignon and the River Rhone.

Caroline Findlay (3 years ago)
A definite must see for history buffs. I think this important monument is often overlooked because it’s not centrally located (within close proximity to the main sites). If you’re driving (or cycling) it wouldn’t take you long at all to get there. I walked from my hotel; it took me around 35 mins at a leisurely pace, with stopping time to take pictures along the way. Interesting place to visit, and the view from the top of the tower is worth the visit alone.

李善雲 (3 years ago)
€4 per ticket and cash only. You can get a great view of the river and that’s pretty much it. If you are low on budget or time, you can skip this one.

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