Fort Saint-Jean

The origins of Fort Saint-Jean date back to the 12th century, when a Commandry of the Knights Hospitaller stood on this site, serving as a hospice during the Crusades. In the 15th century, the structure was supplemented by a tower built by René I, King of Provence. The fortress was constructed in 1660 under Louis XIV, not primarily for defense against external enemies, but as a response to local unrest, with its cannons pointed inwards towards the city. At the same time, Fort Saint-Nicolas was built on the opposite side of the harbor. During the French Revolution, the fort was seized by insurgents in 1790, leading to the beheading of its commander. Later, it served as a prison for figures such as Louis Philippe II and his sons. After the fall of Robespierre, a massacre of Jacobin prisoners occurred in 1794. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the French Army used the fort as a barracks and transit point, especially for recruits of the Foreign Legion.