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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Knights Gate is an iconic monument of Haguenau, built in the first half of the 14th century. This gate tower, integrated into the third enclosure of the city around 1235, was initially used as a defence point. Its brick architecture, with a vaulted passage in a broken cradle, reflects medieval military techniques. The floors housed dungeons illuminated by narrow bays and arches, testifying to its defensive and then prison use.

From 1763, the tower was transformed into a prison, supplemented by an adjacent house built that year to house the guards and give access to the dungeons. The ensemble served as a cantonal prison until the First World War. Prior to 1920, the ground floor housed the wardens' quarters and a porch, while a niche above the door, probably decorated with a missing painting, marked the entrance to the cattle market. The Knights' Gate was classified as a historical monument by order of 3 December 1930.

The building illustrates the evolution of urban usage: first military (poudrière), then judicial (prison), before being converted into housing in the 20th century. Its architectural elements, such as wired bays and broken arch openings, are characteristic of Alsatian defensive structures. Today owned by the municipality of Haguenau, the tower remains a significant remnant of the medieval and modern history of the city.

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