Notre Dame Gate

An iconic gateway to the historic center, Porte Notre-Dame, bordered by the Nesque River, opens to the north of the city and onto the Church of Our Lady of Nazareth located outside the enclosure. On the bridge leading to the door, you can also find the Notre-Dame des Grâces Chapel, built between 1510 and 1516, which is still visible today although it was damaged during the various floods of the river. Viewed from the outside, two semicircular towers framing a door appear, suggesting their uses; we can see that they are crowned by a border of machicolations with also several loopholes and gunboats that were built to defend the drawbridge and the opposite bank. Starting in 1548, the Notre Dame Gate underwent modifications until it looked like the one that can be seen today.

In 1628, the risk was taken to build a first stone arch as an extension of the drawbridge. And finally, in 1681, the drawbridge was permanently removed and a second arch was built to complete the bridge that can be seen today, spanning the river.

This bridge continued its function until August 1944 when the Germans blew it up. It was faithfully restored by Fine Arts students after the war.