The Architecture of Provence and the RivieraMacGibbon, David
History
The Architecture of Provence and the Riviera
MacGibbon, David
Architecture -- France -- Provence; Architecture -- France -- Riviera
Simple as is the exterior of this keep, its interior is full of interest
and beauty. The walls, as high as the first floor, are 20 feet in
thickness. The basement contains the storage and has a well in the
centre, over which an eye in the vaults above allows water to be raised
to every floor.
The entrance door is on the first floor on the side next the town, and
there is also a postern on this floor on the side next the country. From
the landing at the former, a staircase leads to the second floor, and is
so contrived that the lower part is completely overlooked and commanded
from the upper part. At the landing where the staircase gives access to
the great apartment on the upper floor, a beautifully arched and groined
lobby is constructed, and is decorated with Gothic shafts and enriched
caps.
The great hall on the first floor is vaulted in one span, with large
pointed ribs springing from finely-carved caps. On the level of the
floor there are recesses in the thick walls, giving access to long loops
which descend far below the floor, so as to enable the defenders to
shoot down as close as possible to the base of the tower. The postern is
also seen from the inside (although now built up externally), with its
portcullis (or rather a modern imitation) _in situ_. The interior is lit
only by the narrow loop-holes, and is, therefore, very dark. A gallery
runs round in the thickness of the upper part of the walls of the hall,
with windows looking into the apartment from which it might be watched
and commanded. Between the recess of one of the loops and the postern a
fireplace is introduced, with an oven in the wall behind it. The hearth
is covered with a boldly projecting hood, supported on two brackets
carved with foliage. The angles of the hood have ornamental crockets,
and the hood itself is carved in imitation of tiles. The whole work is
massive and yet fine, and specially recalls, both in construction and
ornament, the style of Couci. It has evidently been the work of a
Northern architect brought with him by King Louis.
About two miles to the north of Aigues Mortes stands the “Tour
Carbonnière,” which formed an outpost of the town. It was erected at the
same time as the fortifications, and was placed so as to command the
approach, which was only practicable by one course through the marshes
and canals. It is a good example of a detached thirteenth century
tower, and in style strongly resembles that of Villeneuve, at the west
end of the bridge of St Bénezet, at Avignon.
* * * * *
We shall now return to Marseilles, and strike eastwards by the
Mediterranean Railway, along the Riviera.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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