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The Ferrande tower hides a treasure...

Jesus and saint Christopher | Véronique PAGNIER / CC-BY-SA
Tower Ferrande tower

This small city in Vaucluse was named after 36 fountains raised here in the middle of the 18th century... A quiet city, which was in the Middle-Ages the capital city of the comtat Venaissin! Well, until 1320, in fact... because Carpentras upstaged it!

Anyway, Pernes owns a gem: this high square tower belonging to counts of Toulouse, raised by knights of Saint-John of Jerusalem. Come on, follow me! Inside, on the 3d floor, there’s a beautiful room decorated with frescos from the 13th century...

We can see knights fighting, especially a Moor against a Christian; a Virgin Mary; saints (look this tiny Jesus standing on a huge saint Christopher!) and many geometrical patterns.

In fact, those paintings deal with Southern Italy conquest by king of France saint Louis' brother, Charles I of Anjou... We can see Manfred near pope Clement IV. He was Emperor Frederic II’s son... master of Sicily!

About the the author

Vinaigrette
I'm fond of strolls and History, with juicy and spicy details!