| Lantern Tower | |
| Native Name: | Tour de la Lanterne |
| Native Language: | fr |
| Native Name2: | Tower of the Four Sergeants |
| Native Language2: | en |
| Native Name3: | Garrot tower |
| Native Language3: | en |
| Other Name: | Priest tower |
| Coordinates: | 46.1558°N -1.1569°W |
| Location: | La Rochelle, France |
| Nearest City: | La Rochelle |
| Height: | 180feet |
| Beginning Date: | 1209 |
| Founded: | 1209 |
| Original Use: | Protection of the entrance to the primitive port of La Rochelle |
| Restored: | 2015 |
| Architecture: | Medieval |
| Governing Body: | Building managed by the CMN (Center des Monuments Nationaux) |
| Owner: | Government |
| Designation1: | Monument historique |
The Lantern Tower (French: tour de la Lanterne) is one of the three medieval historic towers in La Rochelle, Poitou-Charentes, France, which guarded the port at Aunis. The Lantern tower served as a Lighthouse and a prison throughout its history. It was also known by other names: Garrot tower, Priest tower, and Four Sergeant tower. In 1789 the French government declared it a Monument historique
The original purpose of the tower was to watch ship traffic in the port. It also served as a lighthouse. In the 1500s the tower was used to imprison priests.[1] It was a multi-purpose building: used both as a lighthouse and a prison. The tower was used to watch the Aunis coastline during the middle ages; and it was used to guide ships into port. Throughout its history it was also used to house prisoners: first priests, then sailors, and finally prisoners from the Wars of the Vendée.[2]