Porte Désilles



The porte Désilles (or mémorial Désilles) is a triumphal arch in the French city of Nancy. 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. It was to terminate the view at the end of cours Léopold and open a view out onto the route de Metz, as well as to provide a monument to citizens of Nancy who had died in the American Revolutionary War. 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. It was made a monument historique on 15 January 1925.