Fort Saint-Elme was built by order of Charles V in 1538 for the defense of Collioure and Port-Vendres and to ensure the protection of Perpignan. The six-pointed fortress was designed to withstand all forms of artillery of the time and has walls more than 26 ft (8 m) thick. After the French Revolution, the fort became a military store until its demilitarization in 1903. Fort Saint-Elme was bought by a patron in 1927. He had several renowned architects work there, such as Léon Azéma and Alfred Joffre, in order to restore the fort to its former glory.