Porte d'Orée

The Porte d'Orée was formerly written "Porte Dorée" because the Abbé Girardin (1678 – 1753), historian, had found at the foot of this monument nails with golden heads. He had deduced that these nails could correspond to the copper tenons used to fix a marble veneer on the monument.

Listed as a Historic Monument in 1886, it is located to the northwest of the Roman port.

It is the only part of a vast thermal establishment from the Roman period that is still standing. This monumental vestige corresponds to the arch of a cold room (frigidarium) of the baths. It has long been interpreted as the monumental southern gate, at the edge of the city, hence the double spelling.

Very fond of pools and fountains, the Romans from all over the Empire frequented the thermal baths for their hygiene but also as places of popular gathering, where they met and discussed.

This complex ranks among the most important thermal establishments known to date in Narbonne. Its location suggests that it is the port's thermal baths, probably a gift from an emperor.

A fragment of a monumental female statue and a head of Jupiter were discovered on this site and are visible at the municipal archaeological museum. Other remains were discovered during the excavations of 1988, carried out by the municipal archaeological service. The following elements were recognized: a large cold water pool (natatio), the hot water room (caldarium), a large cold room (frigidarium) of which only the Golden Gate remains. A hearth was also discovered there.

The building was built in opus vittatum mixtum, that is to say a mixed bond, superposition of brick and stone. The dating of the building is based on its connection with a sewer well dated from the second half of the 2nd century AD, evacuating the water from the natatio. Furthermore, the use of opus vitatum mixtum also confirms this dating.