Built by King Rene’s order the Tour du Roi Rene stands tall. It’s a square tower part of Fort Saint Jean. This imposing structure guards the entrance to Marseille’s Old Port.
King Rene the last Count of Provence before its integration into France commissioned its construction. He had this magnificent tower built between 1447 and 1452. The previous defense system a chain stretched between the Tour Maubert and a masonry pillar proved insufficient. This was tragically demonstrated during the 1423 sack of Marseille by Aragonese troops. They landed in a cove the present-day Anse des Catalans. They neutralized the Fort Saint-Nicolas garrison. The city fell. The port chain was taken as a trophy. It remains on display in Valencia Cathedral Spain.
The Tour du Roi Rene replaced the ruined Tour Maubert. Its construction cost 4322 florins. The city covered 2000 florins. Fishermen of Saint-Jean contributed 1200 florins. King Rene himself paid the remaining 1122 florins. In return the fishermen received perpetual ownership of the Morgiou cove. They also gained exclusive rights to establish a tuna fishing madrague there. A madrague is a type of large fish trap.
The tower is 28.5 meters high. It has four vaulted levels. A spiral staircase with 147 steps connects them. The first room measures 42 square meters. The second is larger at 58.6 square meters. The third and fourth rooms are 44.2 and 42.2 square meters respectively. The artillery terrace covers a substantial 180 square meters.
Two centuries later under Louis XIV Marseille rebelled. Louis XIV punished the city personally. He entered Marseille on March 2 1660 through a breach in the city walls. To assert his authority and strengthen the port he ordered two structures. One was the Citadelle Saint-Nicolas to the south. The other was an expansion of Fort Saint-Jean to the north. The expansion incorporated the Tour du Roi Rene. The cannons faced both the bay and the city itself a clear message.
The cannons never saw action. The fort suffered damage during World War II but the Tour du Roi Rene survived. Today it’s part of the MuCEM. You can visit it via the MuCEM walkways. You can access the tower from the museum or Saint-Jean chapel crossing above Avenue Vaudoyer. It is free but closed on Tuesdays. Don’t miss the video installation detailing the site’s history. The breathtaking views of Marseille are worth the visit.