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Origin and history

The gates of Montsalvy, located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, are the two main entrances to the old fortified enclosure of the village. The north gate, built in the 15th century, was surmounted by a dwelling floor in the 17th century, while the south gate was enlarged in the 18th century. These gates marked the ends of the main track through the city, controlling access and symbolizing its economic role through fairs and tolls.

Founded around 1065 by Saint Gausbert and the religious, Montsalvy develops as a rescue offering freedom to the serfs installed there. The village, protected by ditches and then ramparts, is organized around the abbey, church and hospice. The doors, closed every night after curfew, were monitored by watchmen. Their architecture reflects the successive adaptations, such as the 17th century guard room added to the north gate or the enlargement of the south gate to the 18th.

Peace following the wars of Religion allows a renewal of the building: the filled ditches become gardens, and some buildings open outwards. In the 19th century, road bypasses and the movement of the cemetery encouraged the expansion of the suburbs. The facades and roofs of the doors were classified as historical monuments in 1973, preserving these testimonies of the urban and military history of Montsalvy.

The northern gate, known as Aurillac, was rebuilt in 1684 by Mr Boygues, judge of the provost, who added a room topped by a roof in the pavilion. It preserves 17th century half-timbers and traces of the toll charge on goods. The southern gate, d'Entraygues, was modified in 1787 by Mr. Delmas, and rebuilt in 1844 by his descendants under municipal pressure, after a state of advanced disrepair.

These gates illustrate the defensive and economic evolution of Montsalvy, from a protected monastic city to a dynamic commercial hub. Their preservation makes it possible to understand the medieval spatial organization, between religious enclosures, artisanal habitats and controlled circulation axes.

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