Le Castillet

The symbol of Perpignan, the Castillet is a red-brick fortified gate built around 1368 on the orders of the Infante John of Aragon to defend the northern entrance to the town. It was completed in 1481-1485 by the Notre-Dame gate, or Petit Castillet, then protected in 1542 by a bastion ordered by Charles V. Its crown of battlements, corbels and turrets gives it a unique, Moorish-inspired silhouette.

Turned into a state prison after the end of the conflicts with France, it now houses the Casa Pairal, the Catalan museum of popular arts and traditions: furniture, costumes, tools and religious objects evoke life in Roussillon. The climb up to the terrace offers a fine view over the rooftops of the old town and, in the distance, the Canigou massif.

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