Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The gate of Gan, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, is the only remaining standing vestige of the fortifications of the bastide founded in 1335 by Gaston II de Foix. This monument of the 2nd quarter of the 14th century illustrates medieval defensive architecture, with an open gorge above the passage and arches protecting access, although without a drawbridge. Its initial role was to control the entrance of the city, reinforced by a harrow.

Transformed into a prison after his military service, this door is today the last testimony of Gan's ramparts and the only one of its kind preserved in Béarn. It was classified as a Historic Monument by order of 30 December 1994, stressing its heritage importance. Its structure, marked by defensive elements such as the archeries, reflects the fortification techniques of the time, while recalling the political and strategic context of the region under the authority of the Counts of Foix.

The location of the gate at 10 Rue de Corisande in Gan, and its current state, owned by the commune, make it an accessible site although little visually documented (precision of location estimated at 5/10). Its history is closely linked to the foundation of the bastide, a type of planned urban planning typical of southwestern France in the Middle Ages, intended to structure settlement and commerce under seigneurial protection.

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