Fortress Visit Report - Metz - Porte Des Allemands

My first morning in Metz, I walked down from the hotel to the Porte des Allemands - the Gate of the Germans.

This was built in two stages. The two pepper pot towers on the left bank of the river were built around 1230. The towers were built, either by Teutonic Knights or Hospitalliers Brothers of Notre-Dame-des-Allemands, hence the name. The two right bank crenellated towers and the V-shaped machicolated gate were built around 1445. The courtyard with an arcaded gallery to unite the two was added in 1480.

A German postcard during the Annexation, of a pre-cleaned Porte

The gallery, showing the gun-ports added at a later date

Pepper pot towers and the left hand gate tower.

Left tower and gate house, with a lot of damage from November 1944.

Right tower

Right tower and gate house, good view of the machicolations.

A very well preserved and presented gate complex. A lot of later modifications as later engineers adapt the gate complex into their fortifications. The gallery is now an exhibition space. I spent about an hour at the complex.

The first four pictures I found on the web and I would like to thank the owners for their photos. The second five are mine.