Laon - Porte de Soissons

Laon, placed on a ridge and overlooking the flat Picardy plain, was a strategic, fortified site, already in Roman times. St. Remi founded a bishopric here in 487. Laon was a very important place in the kingdom of the Franks. After the fall of the Carolingians, Hugh Capet became the master of the town with the support of the bishop.

Part of the fortification was a strong wall running around the town. About 7kms of this wall still exist today. There were a couple of gates, like the "Porte de Soissons", to control the roads.