Editing Calais (section)

===Towers===
[[File:Tour du Guet, Calais.jpg|thumb|right|[[Tour du Guet]]]]
The [[Tour du Guet]] (Watch Tower), situated in Calais Nord on the Places d'Armes, is one of the few surviving pre-war buildings. Dating from 1229, when [[Philip I, Count of Boulogne]], built the fortifications of Calais, it is one of the oldest monuments of Calais, although the oldest remaining traces date to 1302.<ref name="CWSltdg">{{Cite web|title=Le Tour de Guet|url=http://www.calais.ws/FrLeTourDuGuet.htm|access-date=5 February 2012|publisher=Calais.ws|first1=June|first2=Len|last1=Riddell|last2=Riddell|archive-date=2 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302021636/http://www.calais.ws/FrLeTourDuGuet.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> It has a height of 35–39 metres (sources differ). An [[1580 Dover Straits earthquake|earthquake in 1580]] split the tower in two, and at one time it threatened to collapse completely.<ref name="Lepage2011">{{Cite book |last=Lepage |first=Jean-Denis G. G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jpT2BJ0BF_MC&pg=PA276 |title=British Fortifications Through the Reign of Richard III: An Illustrated History |publisher=McFarland |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7864-5918-6 |page=276}}</ref> The tower was repaired in 1606, and then had the purpose of serving as a hall to accommodate the merchants of Calais.<ref name="Lepage2011" /> It was damaged in 1658 when a young stable boy set fire to it, while it was temporarily being used as royal stables during a visit of King [[Louis XIV]].<ref name="Lefèbvre1766">{{Cite book |last=Lefèbvre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oXtGKdW_QawC&pg=PA606 |title=Histoire de la ville de Calais et du Calaisis: précis de l'histoire de Morins |publisher=Lebure |year=1766 |page=606}}</ref> It was not repaired for some 30 years. In 1770,<ref name="Rider2005b">{{Cite book |last=Rider |first=Nick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jwG65xpOh9oC&pg=PA29 |title=Short Breaks Northern France, 2nd |publisher=New Holland Publishers |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-86011-183-9 |page=29}}</ref> a bell identical to the original bell of 1348 was cast. Due to its height, from the late 17th century it became an important watchout post for the city for centuries until 1905;<ref name="CWSltdg" /> the last keeper of the tower was forced to leave in 1926. [[Abraham Chappe]] (a brother of [[Ignace Chappe]]) installed a telegraph office in the tower in 1816 and operated for 32 years.<ref name="Demotier1856" /> It was this office which announced the death of Napoleon I to the French public in 1821. It also had the dual function as lighthouse with a rotating beacon fuelled by oil from 1818.<ref name="CWSltdg" /> The lantern was finally replaced by a new lighthouse on 15 October 1848. During the First World War, it served as a military observation post and narrowly missed destruction during World War II.<ref name="Lepage2011" /> This tower has been classified as a historic monument since 6 November 1931.<ref name="Lepage2011" />

The [[Calais Lighthouse]] (Le phare de Calais) was built in 1848, replacing the old watch tower as the lighthouse of the port. The {{convert|55|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} tower was electrified in 1883 and automated in 1992. The staircase has 271 steps leading up to the lantern. By day it is easily distinguishable from other coastal lighthouses by its white color and black lantern. The lighthouse was classified as a historical monument on 22 November 2010.