Orange City Gate in Carpentras, Medieval city gate in Carpentras, France.
The Orange City Gate in Carpentras is a substantial medieval structure standing at the northern edge of town that once served as one of four principal entrances through the city's fortifications. The building displays the architectural features typical of medieval defensive gates with its solid stone construction and commanding position along the former rampart line.
Construction of the ramparts began in 1357 at the initiative of Pope Innocent VI, who sought to defend the capital of the Comtat Venaissin. The walls ran 1,770 metres with 32 towers and four gates; the Porte d'Orange, facing the road to Orange, was finished in 1392. In 1791 Avignon's revolutionary troops besieged and took the city, and their government was received at this gate. The walls were demolished in the 19th century, leaving the gate and a stretch of wall on the Avignon road; it was classified a monument historique on 1 August 1896.
The gate is named after the road to Orange, capital of the neighbouring Principality of Orange, not after any fruit. After Avignon's revolutionary troops took Carpentras in 1791, the new administration was officially received at this gate, and a commemorative plaque inside the gate building recalls the defeat and the end of the Comtat Venaissin.
The gate sits at the northern edge of town and is within easy walking distance from the city center, with parking available nearby to start your exploration. The location has no restricted hours, allowing you to view the structure at any time that suits your schedule.
The gate is named after the city of Orange, not a fruit: it stood at the start of the road leading to the neighbouring Principality of Orange. Inside the gate building, a commemorative plaque recalls the 1791 siege by Avignon's revolutionary troops and the end of the Comtat Venaissin.
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