The citadel around the oldest areas of Bonaifacio had to be a large and secure one as because the town was so exposed by land and sea, in the event of attack, a poorly defended town could end in disaster. This gate is one of the more decorated and beautiful pieces of military architecture in the community. Constructed for use by a drawbridge in the late 16th Century, this was the only way of getting in and out of the citadel until the Porte de France was built in 1854.
