Lanterne des morts de Rancon

Built in the 12th century, the Rancon Lantern of the Dead is a circular granite structure, 6.66 meters high, topped by a conical lantern tower pierced by six openings that diffuse the lightthat once held a lantern hoisted to its summit. Located in the old cemetery of the Chapel of Saint Sebastian and the fortified Church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens, it served to guide the souls of the deceased and mark this sacred site. The cemetery was relocated in 1872, and two remarkable oak trees were planted in the square that was then laid out. Listed as a historic monument, this lantern, surrounded by old tombstones, embodies memory, faith, and the protective light of the Limousin Middle Ages.