Nîmes - Porte d'Arles (Porte d'Auguste)

In Nîmes, near the northern end of the Boulevard Amiral Courbet stands the Porte d'Arles, also known as the Porte d'Auguste, after Augustus, who was instrumental in having the town surrounded by walls. This town gate, which was the starting-point of the road to Rome, dates from 15 B.C. and in the 14th C. was incorporated into the walls of a fortress. It was not uncovered again until 1752 when the fortress had suffered damage. Today a bronze statue of Augustus (a modern copy) stands near the gate. The position of the side wings of the gate, which were destroyed during the French Revolution, are marked on the pavement.