Porte Saint-Antoine
During Charles VI of France's reign, the inhabitants of Paris got through the Porte Saint-Antoine three times to attack the hôtel Saint-Pol and during the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War 1,500 Armagnacs got through it on 1 June 1418 before being repulsed by the Burgundians.
On 1 June 1540 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor entered Paris through the Porte Saint-Antoine beside Francis I of France – the Bastille fired an 800-shot salute, the houses nearby were decorated with tapestries and banners and the court, clergy and middle class came out to welcome them.
Henry II of France built a single-arch triumphal arch at Porte Saint-Antoine, with sculptures on it by Jean Goujon representing two rivers.
Four years later, on 2 July 1652, thanks to cannon shots fired from the Bastille on the orders of the Grande Mademoiselle, it was through this gate that the Condé was able to escape the royal troops under Viscount Turenne, Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, who were pursuing him.
For the ceremony, Gérard Van Opstal created three sculptures personifying France, Spain and Hymen, to be placed in niches executed by Michel Anguier.
(detail from Turgot's 1739 map of Paris )
