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Fortification

The Ramparts of Bergues

Bergues, Opal Coast

About this place

You can visit the ramparts year-round, using a map available at the Hauts de Flandre Tourist Office in Bergues, or join one of the guided tours offered by the Tourist Office. The fortified walls of Bergues have been preserved almost in their entirety. They are also fortunate to feature numerous examples from their various periods of construction. The northern curtain wall and the Guy de Dampierre Tower (1286) date back to the era of the Counts of Flanders. The Dukes of Burgundy left us, notably, the Nekerstor, the Bierne Gate, and the curtain wall running along Rue Pierre DECROO (1418). With the Spanish period came a new type of underground bastioned fortification: the western front between the Cassel Gate and the Bierne Gate (1585). Finally, Sébastien LE PRESTRE DE VAUBAN completed the complex. Notably, this included the Saint-Winoc rampart (1672–1692), a project that was subsequently continued by his successors: the Bierne rampart in 1720 and the Hondschoote rampart in 1741. To enter Bergues, pass through a fortified gate or, if all else fails, through a breach in the ramparts… whichever path you take, you won’t be disappointed! Bergues still has five gates: The Bierne Gate: Its layout resembles a small castle flanked by two mighty towers at the front, framing the drawbridge. The Cassel Gate: Built in the classical style, this gate contrasts with the Bierne and Dunkirk gates. The top of its pediment is adorned with a sun, the symbol of Louis XIV. The Porte de Dunkerque: Flanked by two large towers, it appears to be contemporary with its neighbor, the Porte de Bierne. It was once protected by a drawbridge and a set of rear gates.The Hondschoote Gate: Of the Hondschoote Gate, which resembled the Cassel Gate, only a gap in the wall remains. Like all the other gates, it was equipped with a drawbridge. The Porte aux Boules, as well as several towers

Source : DATAtourisme — Hauts-de-France Tourisme, mise à jour du 2023-05-11. Licence Ouverte 2.0.

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