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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Porte du Midi, also called Iron Gate, is the last vestige of the triangular enclosure built in the 13th century to protect Castillon-la-Battle. Originally, three gates allowed access to the city: the northern one (destroyed in 1830), the western one (disappeared in 1852 after serving as city hall), and the southern one, the only surviving one. The fortifications were dismantled in 1624 on the orders of Louis XIII, then in subsequent religious conflicts.

This gate, integrated with the citadel, underwent alterations in the 19th and 20th centuries to be transformed into a dwelling. It preserves traces of an advanced work that has now disappeared. Its structure consists of three levels: a vaulted passage (broken arch on the river side, full hanger on the street side) and two floors fitted out. It has been protected since 1988 with its facades, roofs and an adjacent section of rampart.

The exact location of the Porte du Midi is at 3 rue Vienne-y-Vienne, in the historic centre of Castillon-la-Bataille. Its state of conservation and adaptation to residential use illustrate the evolution of medieval remains in urban areas. The accuracy of its geographical location is considered a priori satisfactory (note 6/10), although adjustments may be necessary.

The protected elements include the door itself, the facades and roofs of the building, as well as a segment of the old ramparts. This protection, formalized by decree in 1988, underscores its heritage importance as a witness to medieval defensive systems in Aquitaine (now New Aquitaine).

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