Porte Désilles

The porte Désilles (or mémorial Désilles) is a

memorial gate Memorial gates and arches are architectural monuments in the form of gates and arches or other entrances, constructed as a memorial, often dedicated to a particular war though some are dedicated to individuals. The function is similar to that of a ...

in the French city of Nancy. It is considered to be the oldest

War memorial A war memorial is a building, monument, statue, or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or (predominating in modern times) to commemorate those who died or were injured in a war. Symbolism Historical usage It has ...

in France. It is located on place du Luxembourg, on the northern extension of cours Léopold and the esplanade du Souvenir-Français, at the junction of rue Désilles, rue de Metz and rue de la Craffe. It was built between 1782 and 1784 to designs by the architect Didier-Joseph-François Mélin on the initiative of the Comte de Stainville, commander in chief of Lorraine. This monument was intended to close the view at the end of cours Léopold and to open a view out onto the route de Metz, as well as to provide a memorial to citizens of Nancy who had died in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, specifically during the

Siege of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virgi ...

(1781). Its name was initially porte Saint-Louis, then porte Stainville, and finally took its present name in memory of André Désilles and his death in the

Nancy affair The Nancy affair (french: Affaire de Nancy), commonly referred to in English as the Nancy Mutiny, was the crushing of a military mutiny in France on 31 August 1790, two years before the final overthrow of the French monarchy. The mutiny was of p ...

. It was made a

monument historique ''Monument historique'' () is a designation given to some national heritage sites in France. It may also refer to the state procedure in France by which National Heritage protection is extended to a building, a specific part of a building, a coll ...

on 15 January 1925. {{DEFAULTSORT:Porte Desilles Terminating vistas in France Triumphal arches in France Buildings and structures in Nancy, France Tourist attractions in Nancy, France 1784 establishments in France Buildings and structures completed in 1784