Porte des Cordeliers, City gate in Aigues-Mortes, France
The Porte des Cordeliers is a city gate set into the medieval walls of Aigues-Mortes, a walled town in southern France. It is one of ten gates built into the enclosure, giving access to the old town from the surrounding area.
Aigues-Mortes was founded in the 13th century by King Louis IX, who needed a Mediterranean port for France. The walls and gates, including the Porte des Cordeliers, were built as part of the town's fortifications during that period.
The Porte des Cordeliers takes its name from a Franciscan convent that once stood nearby. Walking through it today, you enter a network of narrow streets lined with old stone buildings that give a strong sense of the medieval town.
The gate is freely accessible and easy to pass through as part of a walk along the town walls. Taking a full loop around the walls helps you see all the gates and towers in context.
Although Aigues-Mortes was once a busy port, it now sits several miles from the sea because the surrounding land slowly silted up over the centuries. This means the walls and their gates, which once welcomed sailors, now overlook flat marshland instead of open water.
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