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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Port Gate of Libourne, also known as Porte Richard, is a vestige of the city's fortifications built mainly during the reign of Edward III. The enclosure, begun in 1281 and completed in 1341, was pierced by eight doors, four of which were major at the ends of the urban axes. This door, dated from the 14th century, is distinguished by its ogival corridor equipped with defensive devices and a single night window among the gates of the city.

The door opens between two round towers: the Richard Tower, named in honor of a son of the Black Prince born in 1366, and the Barrée Tower. The ramparts, flanked by towers, illustrated Libourne's strategic importance at that time. The Tower of the Grand Port, a key element of this defensive system, was classified as Historic Monument by decree of 4 May 1921, followed by the gate itself and the Guet tower in 1935.

Today, the Port Gate bears witness to medieval military architecture and the urban history of Libourne. Although partially preserved, it offers an overview of the fortification techniques of the time, while recalling the political context marked by English domination in Aquitaine. The accuracy of its current location is estimated as fair, based on available data.

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