Tour Carrée de La Rochelle

sketchfab

In 1702, engineer Rousselot, then director of La Rochelle's fortifications, drew plans for the Chef de Baie redoubt, also known as Tour Carrée. However, it wasn't built until 1708. Positioned behind the Chef de Baie battery, this structure fits into the bay's defensive system. The redoubt, with a square plan of 11 meters on each side and flanked by forward beaks intended to increase its solidity, consists of three levels. The first floor, through which one accesses, is equipped with two rooms; one serves as a guard room, while the other is used as a kitchen. From this level, it's possible to access the ground floor, which houses reserves; ammunition stores and provisions, along with a cistern. The second floor is a platform equipped with loopholes and machicolations. The entire structure is covered by a pavilion roof. By the mid-19th century, the redoubt lost its roof in favor of a parapet.