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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The gate of Ghent, originally named gate of the Magdeleine, was built between 1617 and 1621 during the extension of the enclosure of Lille under the reign of archducs Albert and Isabelle, governors of the Spanish Netherlands. Built by master masons Pierre Raoul and Jean Le Mestre, it was inaugurated in 1625. This brick and stone monument, typical of Flemish military architecture, originally included a single central passageway, completed in 1875 by two side arcades to facilitate traffic and tramway.

The gate was preserved by Vauban during the reconfiguration of the fortifications of Lille from 1668, although it was reinforced with advanced works such as a tenaille and half-bastions. After the Revolution it was renamed "gate of Ghent". Its defensive role declined after 1919, when fortifications were downgraded, resulting in the partial filling of ditches and the destruction of some works, such as the second half moon in the 1930s.

The facade on the country side is distinguished by three arcades (two of which were added in 1875), a brick wall decorated with runic emblems and the Lille coat of arms, as well as an upper niche once occupied by a statue. On the city side, the two-coloured stoneware and brick façade features three arches on the ground floor, six crib windows, and a slate roof with skylight. Since 1997, it has been home to the gourmet restaurant Les Remparts.

The surrounding fortifications, partially preserved, include two Spanish bastions (from the Meunier and the Carmes), a half moon and ditches transformed into a wild garden. The historic road to La Madeleine once crossed five successive bridges, two of which remain today. The adjacent military area, formerly Vauban horned structure, remains inaccessible, while the Peripheral Boulevard (1964) runs along the site to the east.

Ranked a historic monument in 1929, the Ghent Gate is the only significant vestige of the old enclosures of Lille. Its environment, marked by periods of abandonment (bidonvilles in the 20th century), is undergoing a slow requalification. The preserved ditches and courtlines offer a rare testimony of the evolution of fortification techniques, from the Spanish to Vauban.

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