Laurence’s Gate is a 13th-century building in the town of Drogheda. This is one of the last vestiges of the city’s ancient fortifications. Listed as a national monument, it is one of Drogheda’s must-see sites and a true testimony to its medieval history!
Laurence’s Gate – informatique – cc
Laurence’s Gate is actually a barbican: a fortified place dating back to the Middle Ages and protecting a strategic passageway, such as the entrance to a town.
The building is thought to have been erected in the 13th century to better protect the Drogheda outskirts. This explains the high height of the barbican, whose unobstructed view from the top made it easier to keep an eye on the town’s surroundings, in order to warn of any attackers.
Architecturally, Laurence’s Gate consists of 2 crenellated towers, each 4 storeys high. The building is criss-crossed by a passageway, which at the time was highly controlled. A few loopholes also enabled the garrisons on duty to keep an eye on individuals approaching the barbican without being seen.
Today, the passage through the building has been converted into a road for cars. So don’t be surprised if many cars pass through the barbican every day!
The only drawback is that the building is closed to visitors… So you can only admire it from the outside…
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no admission
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