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Origin and history

La Porte de l'Eau, also known as Porte de l'Aigue, is a fortified town gate located in Lagrasse, Aude department. Built in the 14th century, it was part of the city's walls, restored in 1359 to strengthen local defences during the Hundred Years War. Originally, the ditches surrounding Lagrasse had been transformed into gardens and orchards, leaving the city vulnerable before recovery.

The gate was first mentioned in 1522 under the name of Porte de l'Aigue. Strategically placed on the edge of the Orbieu and facing the abbey, it was the only southern exit of the city. Its architecture includes a low arch on the inside side, a wall closing the passage to the bank, and a corbelled cylindrical scallop, typical of medieval fortifications. The remains of an adjacent courtine, now partially extinct, once linked the door to the tower of Plaisance.

Ranked a historic monument in 1948 with its contiguous ramparts, the Water Gate illustrates the evolution of urban defensive systems in Languedoc. Its exterior arch, partially abrased to facilitate the passage of carts, and the absence of visible arches on the preserved walls suggest adaptations after its construction. Today owned by the commune, it remains an architectural testimony of the military tensions of the late Middle Ages.

Available sources, including Wikipedia and Monumentum, highlight its role in the Lagrasse defensive network. Although its exact location (4 Rue de la Porte d'Eau) is documented, cartographic accuracy remains limited, reflecting the challenges of preserving medieval remains. Its present state, however, makes it possible to understand the fortification techniques used in the region at that time.

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