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The Porte Noire (literally, "Black Gate") is a Roman
File:Porte_Noire_Besançon_XXe.jpg, The gate in the early 20th century. Note its acquired black colouring
File:Porte_Noire_Besançon.jpg, Early stages of restoration in 2007
File:Besancon_-_Porte_Noire_05.JPG, Gate illuminated at night
The Porte Noire (literally, "Black Gate") is a Roman triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...
in Besançon
Besançon (, , , ; archaic german: Bisanz; la, Vesontio) is the prefecture of the department of Doubs in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The city is located in Eastern France, close to the Jura Mountains and the border with Switzerl ...
, France.
The limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
arch was located at the southern end of the ''cardo
A cardo (plural ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Roman cities and military camps as an integral component of city planning. The cardo maximus, or most often the ''cardo'', was the main or central north–south-oriented street ...
'', the main north-to-south route of a Roman city. It measured 5.6 metres in width and 11.2 metres in height, and its two facades were identical, of which the northern one is the better preserved.
History
The arch lacks a dedication, but research has dated it to the second half of the second century AD, and the reign of the emperorMarcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Latin: áːɾkus̠ auɾέːli.us̠ antɔ́ːni.us̠ English: ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good ...
. It is believed that depictions of war show the victories of his adoptive brother and co-emperor Lucius Verus
Lucius Aurelius Verus (15 December 130 – January/February 169) was Roman emperor from 161 until his death in 169, alongside his adoptive brother Marcus Aurelius. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty. Verus' succession together with ...
in the Roman–Parthian War of 161–166
The Roman–Parthian War of 161–166 (also called the Parthian War of Lucius Verus) was fought between the Roman and Parthian Empires over Armenia and Upper Mesopotamia. It concluded in 166 after the Romans made successful campaigns i ...
. Disturbances by the local Sequani
The Sequani were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper river basin of the Arar river (Saône), the valley of the Doubs and the Jura Mountains during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Sequanos'' by Caesar (mid-1s ...
Gallic tribe around 175 AD may have been the trigger event for erecting the arch, as a tribute to Marcus Aurelius restoring peace. A differing hypothesis is that the arch commemorates the same emperor's victory over Germanic peoples in 176 AD, and that this would be more likely than an arch remembering internal turmoil in the empire.
Under the Merovingian dynasty
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
, the arch was used as fortifications. Originally brightly coloured, the arch was blackened by centuries of fire and has been known by its current name since the 11th century. The upper part of the arch and the statue of the emperor atop it are lost, as are the sides, now part of the rectory and archdiocesan buildings; its feet are submerged one metre below road level.
The arch has been classed as 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 ...
'' since 1840, the first year of such listings. In 2007, a restoration project was initiated, to restore the gate to its previous colour, with the work taking place from 2009 to 2011. The restoration bill totaled €1,279,720 and was funded by the city, the department of Doubs
Doubs (, ; ; frp, Dubs) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. Named after the river Doubs, it had a population of 543,974 in 2019.Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté (, ; ; Frainc-Comtou: ''Fraintche-Comtè''; frp, Franche-Comtât; also german: Freigrafschaft; es, Franco Condado; all ) is a cultural and historical region of eastern France. It is composed of the modern departments of Doubs, ...
and the French state.
References
{{reflist Monuments historiques of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Buildings and structures in Besançon Ancient Roman triumphal arches Ancient Roman buildings and structures in France Buildings and structures completed in the 2nd century