Tour de la Lanterne

The Tour de la Lanterne guards the entrance to the old harbour of La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast, the tallest of the three medieval towers that flank the port. Built in the fifteenth century, its tall Gothic spire once served as a lighthouse, giving the structure its name. The tower later held prisoners of many nationalities, who left an extraordinary collection of graffiti carved into its walls. Visitors climb to an upper gallery with views across the harbour, the ramparts and the islands offshore.