The Square Tower

In the Middle Ages the town of Wasselonne was defended by a castle built on the heights overlooking the town. Today, only the gateway to this castle survives, surmounted by a square tower, former home of the town’s bailiff, along with a few sections of the perimeter wall and a round tower.

The square tower is over the gateway into the castle. The height of the gatehouse, flanked by two round turrets, was raised in 1789 by the erection of a square tower, built to replace the watchtower in the centre of the castle, destroyed in 1674. The lower part of the square tower housed the warden’s lodgings and cells for prisoners.

The castle’s defence called for numerous arrow slits and machicolations. One arrow slit over the roof of the gatehouse could be closed by a cylindrical piece of stone which could easily be pivoted. Below are the framed coats of arms of the local lord, which were smashed with hammers at the time of the Revolution.

The square tower houses a clock mechanism dating from 1881 and a large bell placed there in 1818.


Only view from outside (if you want to visit the tower, ask the tourist office mini 10. days before the date. 1,50 € per person)