Porte Cailhau, Gothic city gate near Place du Palais, France

The Porte Cailhau is a Gothic-Renaissance gate on Place du Palais in Bordeaux, built of limestone from Bourg or Roque-de-Thau. It rises 35 metres to a steep slate roof with three pointed turrets and an open lantern spire. A large archway pierces the base, with mullioned windows and carved figures in niches above; the river facade carries statues of Charles VIII, Saint John the Baptist and Cardinal d'Espinay.

The gate was built in the 1490s and serves as a monument to the French king and his military successes. It marks a turning point in the city's development and in Bordeaux' relationship with the French kingdom.

The name comes from "calhau", Gascon for pebble, after the sloping quay between the Peugue and Devèze that was first paved with river stones. On the town side, look for two angels holding a shield with three fleurs-de-lys beneath a crowned helm, framed by knotted curtains.

The gate stands on Place du Palais, facing the Garonne, a short walk from the riverfront quays and the city centre. It is regularly opened to the public for guided tours; the square in front was renovated in 2010, clearing the approach to the monument. The rear facade still shows where the old rampart, about 2 m thick and 8 to 10 m high, joined the tower.

From 1906 the gate housed the Musée du Vieux Bordeaux, founded to hold the collections of the Société archéologique de Bordeaux. Its Salle de la Herse was furnished with Gothic furniture donated by Armand Bardié, and a third room opened in 1913. The society handed the keys to the city in 1970.