The Castillet

The Castillet, in Perpignan

The Castillet is the emblematic monument of Perpignan, a fortified gate of red brick topped with a tower. The Perpignan audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this building, a symbol of the Catalan town, which today houses a museum.

The red brick gate, symbol of the town

The Castillet is the symbol of Perpignan and one of its most beloved monuments. This fortified gate of red brick, topped with a high crenellated tower, was built at the end of the fourteenth century, at the time when the town was a stronghold of the kingdom of Majorca then of the crown of Aragon. It was part of the ramparts and served successively as a town gate and a prison. Its reddish silhouette, topped with machicolations, stands out against the sky of Roussillon. Today, the Castillet shelters the Casa Pairal, a museum dedicated to Catalan popular arts and traditions. It is a must-see emblem of the Catalan identity of Perpignan.

What to see

You admire the fortified gate of red brick topped with its high crenellated tower with machicolations, a former town gate and prison of the fourteenth century, which today shelters the Casa Pairal, a museum of Catalan arts and traditions. The Castillet is the symbol of Perpignan. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Castillet lies in the heart of Perpignan, at the entrance of the old town, reachable on foot. You admire its silhouette from outside; the Casa Pairal museum it shelters follows its own hours and conditions, which vary. It is best to check the arrangements before coming.

Why is the Castillet the symbol of Perpignan?

This fortified gate of red brick topped with a crenellated tower, built in the fourteenth century as a town gate and prison, dominates the entrance of the old town; it today shelters the museum of Catalan arts and traditions.

Where is the Castillet?

In the heart of Perpignan, at the entrance of the old town, in France.