Citadel gate

The Citadel Gate, in Laon

The Citadel Gate is an old gate of Laon built in 1595, a vestige of the citadel wanted by King Henry IV. The Laon audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this witness of the military history of the town, at the time of the Wars of Religion.

The gate of the citadel of Henry IV

The old gate that you see here is the Citadel Gate. It was built in 1595 and gave at the time, on one side onto the town and on the other onto the famous citadel wanted by King Henry IV. This citadel was built in the tense context of the end of the Wars of Religion, which tore France apart in the sixteenth century between Catholics and Protestants. Laon, which had taken the side of the Catholic League against the king, was reconquered by Henry IV in 1594. To ensure the control of this strategic town, perched on its mound and difficult to take, the king had a citadel built, a military fortress intended to watch over the city and to prevent any new rebellion. The gate that you cross is one of the vestiges of this fortified ensemble, testifying to the military importance of Laon and the troubles of that era. It illustrates the role of the town as a stronghold over the centuries. A witness of the military history and the Wars of Religion, the Citadel Gate is a fine stop of the discovery of Laon.

What to see

Here you discover the old gate built in 1595, a vestige of the citadel wanted by Henry IV after the reconquest of Laon in 1594, at the end of the Wars of Religion: this military fortress was to watch over the strategic town perched on its mound and prevent any rebellion, and the gate testifies to the military importance of Laon. The Citadel Gate is a witness of the history of Laon. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Citadel Gate lies in the upper town of Laon, reachable on foot. It is an open-air vestige, freely accessible. You discover it during a walk in the historic city and along the fortifications.

Why was the Citadel Gate built in Laon?

It was built in 1595 within the framework of the citadel wanted by Henry IV after the reconquest of Laon in 1594, at the end of the Wars of Religion; this military fortress was to watch over the strategic town, which had taken the side of the Catholic League, and to prevent any new rebellion.

Where is the Citadel Gate in Laon?

In the upper town of Laon, in France.