Porte de Paris

The Porte de Paris

The Lille audio-guided tour has you discover the Porte de Paris, a monumental triumphal arch erected in the heart of the city. Located on a now-rounded square, it once marked one of the entrances of the fortified city.

From the gate of the sick to the triumphal arch

In the thirteenth century, the ramparts of Lille were here, pushed back at each expansion of the city. There was then the Gate of the Sick, which led to a leper colony. Under Louis XIV, after the conquest of Lille, the old gate was replaced by a majestic triumphal arch to the glory of the king, celebrating the attachment of the city to France. The Porte de Paris is thus a witness to this turning point of Lille history.

What there is to see

Richly sculpted, the arch is adorned with allegorical figures, trophies and royal symbols to the glory of Louis XIV. Surmounted by a gilded Fame, it stands proudly near the town hall and its belfry. It is a major testimony of the triumphal architecture of the seventeenth century and of the history of Lille, to be contemplated along the walk.

Practical information

The Porte de Paris stands near the town hall, in the heart of Lille. The monument can be contemplated freely from the public space, at all hours and on the level, along the walk.

Why was the Porte de Paris built?

Under Louis XIV, after the conquest of Lille, to celebrate the attachment of the city to France, replacing the old Gate of the Sick.

What is the Porte de Paris?

A seventeenth-century triumphal arch, richly sculpted to the glory of Louis XIV, which marked an entrance of the fortified city.