Solidor Tower, Medieval keep in Saint-Servan district, Saint-Malo, France
Solidor Tower is a medieval fortification in Saint-Servan built from granite with three connected circular towers rising over multiple stories. The thick walls and narrow windows show how it was designed as a military stronghold overlooking the Rance estuary.
Duke John V of Brittany built this tower between 1369 and 1382 to control the Rance River during disputes with Saint-Malo. The structure was designed to secure power over the region amid the tensions of that era.
The tower once housed a museum celebrating Breton sailors who rounded Cape Horn, with displays of ships and navigation tools from their journeys. Those exhibitions told stories of dangerous voyages and the courage of local mariners who ventured across distant oceans.
The tower sits near a tidal power plant and connects to coastal walking paths around the harbor area. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes, as the location is exposed to regular ocean winds and can be breezy.
During the French Revolution, authorities converted this military stronghold into a prison holding priests, nuns, and soldiers who resisted the new regime. This dark period shows how the tower's purpose shifted dramatically.
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