Tour du Plô

The Tour du Plô (late 13th c.) is the only civil vestige of this period. This square stone keep, over 20 m high, protected the population and enforced the Viscount of Limoges? rights of police and justice. In Occitan, "plô" means "small plateau" or "place on a high point". The entrance was 5 m above ground level. The first floor was a prison. The 2nd floor was reserved for the Viscount when he stopped over. The 3rd floor bore his banner and was used by the "gens d?armes" to keep watch.
In 1998, the tower was listed as a historic monument. The town of Saint-Yrieix and the communauté de communes du pays de Saint-Yrieix have embarked on a restoration program (2019-2021), to restore the floor levels and masonry on the top level, which have now disappeared. A panoramic terrace, accessible by a hundred or so steps, provides access to a unique vantage point over the town.