Porte Notre-Dame, Historic city gate in Cambrai, France
Porte Notre-Dame is a city gate in Cambrai distinguished by a high vaulted passage with a guard room housed in the upper floor. The structure is topped by a roof with three dormers and features carefully crafted architectural elements that blend its practical and decorative purposes.
The gate was built in 1623 during Spanish rule and replaced the medieval Porte du Malle. It received protected monument status in 1914, though a sun sculpture with warrior attributes was added to the pediment following Louis XIV's capture of the city in 1677.
The facade holds a niche containing a statue of the Virgin and Child from 1852, surrounded by columns with sculpted masks and diamond-point surface patterns. These artistic elements reflect the religious devotion that was central to daily life in the city at that time.
The gate sits at Place de la Porte Notre-Dame and is visible from street level where its architecture can be easily explored. To visit the guard room on the upper floor, contact the local Tourism Office which can arrange access to the interior.
The sun sculpture with warrior attributes on the pediment is a rare alteration to the original structure, added following 17th-century conquest events. This element combines military history with artistic decoration in an unexpected way.
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