City Wall - Porte Saint-Lazare (Saint-Lazare Gate), Avignon

The City Wall - Saint-Lazare Gate (Porte Saint-Lazare) in Avignon is part of the historic fortifications known as The Ramparts of Avignon. These stone walls, built in the 14th century during the Avignon papacy, have been a defining feature of the city, continuously maintained and repaired over the centuries.

Porte Saint-Lazare, one of the original entrances constructed in the 14th century, reflects the strategic military architecture of its time. In 1488, a fortified avant-corps was added by Antoine Carteron to bolster the gate's defenses. This structure was later replaced in 1568 with a ravelin during the tumultuous Wars of Religion, highlighting the gate's ongoing evolution in response to military needs. By 1882, further changes included the restoration of the gate, the creation of a second entrance, and the demolition of the ravelin remnants.

Noted for its simplicity, the Saint-Lazare Gate does not rely on a complex array of defensive structures, which often complicates the efforts of defenders. Although not exceptionally strong by the standards of massive fortifications, it embodies the appropriate character for the walls of a significant city. The gate, with its attached boulevard or exterior barbican, provided a critical defensive advantage, enabling the safe maneuvering of troops. It allowed for the massing of up to five hundred men on the boulevard esplanade, protected by the flanking of the surrounding towers. In times of retreat, the design ensured a secure fallback, avoiding the chaos of a disordered withdrawal, while maintaining the integrity of the main defense behind the curtain walls. The Porte Saint-Lazare stands as a testament to the strategic foresight embedded in Avignon's historical fortifications.