Remparts de Bergues

The fortified walls of Bergues have been preserved almost in their entirety. It is also fortunate to possess numerous examples from its various periods of construction. The northern curtain wall and the Guy de Dampierre Tower (1286) date from the era of the Counts of Flanders. The Dukes of Burgundy left us, in particular, the Nekerstor, the Bierne Gate, and the curtain wall running along Rue Pierre DECROO (1418). During the Spanish period, a new type of bastioned and underground fortification emerged. This is 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 reach Bergues, enter through a fortified gate or, if all else fails, through a breach in the rampart—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 a classical style, it contrasts with the Bierne and Dunkerque gates. The top of its pediment is adorned with a sun, the symbol of Louis XIV. * The Dunkerque Gate: Flanked by two large towers, it appears to be contemporary with its neighbor, the Bierne Gate. 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 an opening in the wall remains. Like all the other gates, it was equipped with a drawbridge. * The Porte aux Boules But also several towers: - The Couleuvriniers Tower: located near the Cassel Gate, it owes its name to the introduction into the fortifications of the couleuvrine, a slender piece of artillery as long as a snake. - The Nekerstor: serving as both a water gate and a flanking tower, it is the most important tower in the town’s medieval fortifications. - The Guy de Dampierre Tower (the oldest of the towers on the Bergues ramparts): It consists of two rooms with barrel vaults. It is built of red brick, which is its distinctive feature. - The Tower of the Counterfeiters You can visit the ramparts year-round, using a map available at the Bergues Tourist Office, or you can join one of the guided tours offered by Terre de Flandre Tourisme.