Porte Gayole - Boulogne-sur-mer

The Gayole Gate is one of the four city gates of the old fortified town of Boulogne-sur-Mer and is located on the south-eastern side (to the east was the Porte Flamengue, to the west the Porte des Degrès and to the north the Porte des Dunes).

The name of the gate comes from the Boulonnais dialect Gaïole, geôles, because the tower was used as a prison for a time .

The gate was built between 1227 and 1231 , at the same time as the rest of the fortifications, on the initiative of Philippe Hurepel de Clermont, then Count of Boulogne. An outbuilding, where the chief engineer lived, was built in 1689 and modified in 1743 and 1872.

In 1689 an annex was built to house the chief engineer. It was rebuilt in 1743 and 1872. This building was damaged in 1940 during World War II and demolished in 1956.

The tower was used as a prison between 1800 and 1850 and in 194 a pedestrian bridge was built.

The gate follows a Philippine-style plan: two massive U-shaped towers protruding from the wall surround a gate. The towers are pierced with arched vaults. The doorway is vaulted with a pointed arch.

Willem Vandenameele