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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

La Porte de l'Horloge is a 16th-century town gate located in Issoudun, Indre department. It was part of the wall of an old castle, including the White Tower in its perimeter. Although of medieval origin (XII century), it was entirely rebuilt in the middle of the 16th century. Its two three-storey towers frame a vaulted passage, while a terrace, formerly a prisoner walker, overlooks the vaults.

The façade linking the two towers was destroyed in 1568 and restored in 1583. A gap of enclosure, filled during the reign of Charles VII, once protected the whole. The gate and its towers were classified as historical monuments on 31 March 1916. Today, it bears witness to the defensive architecture of the Renaissance, mixing medieval heritage and subsequent adaptations.

The monument, owned by the commune, is located 6 bis place du 10-Jun in Issoudun. Its present state reflects the successive transformations, including the disappearance of the house body attached to the towers on the first floor. The gate illustrates the evolution of urban fortifications between the Middle Ages and the modern era, in a region marked by conflict and reconstruction.

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