La Tour Blanche (the white tower)
Closed for work
For 830 years, la Tour Balnche has watched over the city of Issoudun. A noble mission!
But this year, this princess decided to take a little break to give herself a makeover and come back in a new light.
The monument will therefore not be open to the public this season.
La Tour Blanche (the White Tower), medieval gem and elderest monument of Issoudun, tells a rich and complex story. Built thanks to the demand by Richard the Lionhearts from 1195 to 1202, she stands majestically, witness of a time where Issoudun was at the borders to the english territory following the wedding ofalitnor d'Aquitaine with Henry Plantagenet. After the death of Richard in 1199, the French King Philippe Auguste takes over the town and finish the construction of the tower in 1202, integrating Issoudun to the Royal Kingdom.
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This imposing tower, forming a "water drop", rises to 27 meters, accentued by its position on a medieval mound. The name of Issoudun in itself shows this rise, derived from the celtic term "dune", signification rising place or fortificated place.
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With its walls of 4 Meters thickness, composed of limestone walls from Ambrault's quarries, La tour Blanche is a master piece of medieval ingenierie. Formerly reachable by a drawbridge, she sheltered a noble room with a chimeny, a well, a food reserve and two weapon rooms.
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La Tour Blanche is not only here to remember ancient defense of the town ; she also symbolize royal power. Surrounded by an If garden from the XIXth century, carved in topiaries representing chess pons or napoleon hairdress according to local tradition, she offers an enchanting painting to its visitors.
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The archeological research led by Armand Périmé in 1883 has revealed the remains of a little gallo-romain temple and a christian oratory, adding another dimension to its fascinating story.
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Visit la tour Blanche from April to September (tickets sold a the tourist Office) and dive into the secrets of this emblematic monument, where each stone whispers the past and each visitor becomes a witness of History.