Portes de Manosque, Medieval city gate in Manosque, France.

The Portes de Manosque are medieval city gates featuring thick stone walls, semicircular arches, and carefully crafted stonework that marks the main entrances to the historical center. They display the technical skill of medieval builders and the defensive design typical of towns from this period.

The Porte de la Saunerie was completed in 1382 in Romanesque style and is a listed monument; its name comes from the nearby Rue Saunerie, from Provençal saunarié meaning slaughterhouse. The Porte du Soubeyran dates from the 14th century, with a campanile added in 1830. The Porte Guillempierre, the west gate, was destroyed and rebuilt and is named after an early 13th-century Manosque notable. The Porte d'Aubette, the east gate, was demolished in 1934–1935 because it obstructed truck and car traffic.

The gates display traditional Provençal building techniques and materials that reflect how people in this region constructed their structures. You can see in the stonework and design how local craftsmanship shaped the way the town was built and protected.

The four gates sit on the rampart of the old centre: Saunerie to the south, Soubeyran to the north, Guillempierre to the west. Aubette, the east gate, was demolished in 1934-1935 to ease lorry and car traffic, so only three gates remain to walk through. Look for the four golden hands set in the ground beneath the Porte de la Saunerie.

The Porte d'Aubette no longer stands: it was demolished in 1934-1935 because it obstructed truck and automobile traffic. The Porte Guillempierre was likewise destroyed and rebuilt, and takes its name from a Manosque notable of the early 13th century.