Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Neuf Gate tower, built in the 12th century, was the main entrance to Laure-Minervois from Carcassonne. It marked the forced passage towards the castle, now disappeared, after having crossed a space framed by two towers, they also disappeared. Its defensive architecture includes an entrance in the middle of a arch without a key, but decorated with the city coat of arms on a lighter central stone. The tracks of the drawbridge chains and a vertical gallery for the harrow and projectiles demonstrate its strategic role.

The tower has rectangular niches (three on the main faces, two on the sides) and holes to support the heavy, typical elements of medieval fortifications. Inside, doors connected the round paths of the ramparts to the tower. Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 17 February 1926, it is now owned by the municipality. Its current state no longer makes it possible to distinguish the original adjacent structures, such as the castle or twin towers.

The exact location of the tower is listed at 23 Avenue des Écoles in Laure-Minervois (Aude, Occitanie), with geographical accuracy deemed "passable" (note 5/10). The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) underline its importance as a vestige of medieval village defences, although its current access (visit, use) is not specified.

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