Its construction was decided by the two consuls of 1585, in order to replace "the very old church tower in danger of falling into ruin of the old church of Saint-Jehan".
The bell tower can be seen today without its church, dismantled after the Revolution.
Description
The entrance porch of the church was destroyed to build it and the entrance to the chapel was moved into the street; a trace of sculpture remains above a door and a window; the rest of the church being in ruins it was destroyed and a house built in its place.
From 1585, the four bells chimed at the top of the square tower and in 1646, taking advantage of a restoration of the gutters, an iron cross was placed at the top of the bell tower.
In 1620, after the consecration of Saint Victoire as a parish church, Saint-Jean became a chapel served until the Revolution and whose chaplains were still chosen by the Simiane-Agoult family. The last was René Montjallard. The Simianais continued to have him buried in the chapel of St. Jean.
The chapel, sold as a National Property in 1794 for 216 pounds, was demolished during the 19th century. Its cut stones were clearly used to build or expand the surrounding houses.
Skulls from this cemetery were found in the communal oven on the other side of the square.
The Saint-Jean bell tower owes its decapitation to lightning which struck the village during a storm on February 5/6, 1897.
Rates / opening
Prices
Free access.