The Porte de Mars is a Roman arch from the early 3rd century that stands at the northern edge of central Reims, on the Place de la République. About 33 metres wide with three arches, it is often described as the widest arch of the Roman world, and under its vaults you can still find carvings of Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf.
The Porte de Mars at a glance
- Where: Place de la République, at the northern end of the Hautes Promenades, a short walk from Reims railway station and the Hôtel de Ville.
- Built: in the first quarter of the 3rd century AD, at the northern entrance of the Gallo-Roman city of Durocortorum.
- What it is today: a protected historic monument since 1840, standing free in a pedestrian square since the tram works of 2011.
- Size: about 33 metres wide and 13 metres high today, with a central arch flanked by two side arches.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes to walk around it and look under the three arches.
From city gate to castle wall and back
Durocortorum, the Roman name of Reims, was one of the largest cities of northern Gaul, and four monumental arches marked its main entrances. The Porte de Mars, named after a temple of Mars nearby, is the only one left. It was built as a showpiece rather than for defence, but in the 4th century it was worked into the city wall and became the northern gate. Strictly speaking it is a monumental arch, not a triumphal one: Roman triumphs were held only in Rome.
Being walled in saved it. Around 1228 the arch became part of the archbishops' castle, and when the walls were rebuilt in the 14th century its openings were blocked up and a new gate built further east. After Henri IV ordered the castle demolished in 1595, the arch survived inside the ramparts. It was partly uncovered in 1677, listed as a historic monument in 1840 and fully freed when the walls came down in the 1840s, with a restoration in 1854. A new restoration campaign began in 2015, and a second phase on the stone facings started in 2023.
What to look for
- The three arches and the columns between them: compare the worn original stonework with the west pier, rebuilt in 1854.
- Under the west arch, a square panel of the she-wolf feeding Romulus and Remus, watched by the shepherd Faustulus.
- Under the east arch, a damaged scene of Leda and the swan, the form taken by Jupiter in the myth.
- Under the central arch, medallions showing the farming year: ploughing, harvesting, grape picking. One shows a Gaulish harvesting machine, a rare image of this Roman-era invention.
- On the ground of the central passage, the grooves worn or cut to guide the wheels of carts.
Reims and the brothers of Rome
Why Romulus and Remus in Reims? A local legend says the city was founded by Remus, or by his companions after they fled Rome, and some read the panel as a nod to that tie. It is only a legend: the name Reims comes from the Remi, the Gaulish people whose capital this was. Next to the arch, a tree and a plaque honour the soldiers who served in the East during the First World War and King Alexander of Serbia.
Tips for your visit
- Walk right through the arches and look up: the carvings are on the undersides of the vaults, not on the outside.
- The relief panels are worn, so come when the light is soft and raking, in the morning or late afternoon, to make out the figures.
- Parts of the arch may be under scaffolding during restoration work; check before you go if you want photos of the whole monument.
- Combine it with a stroll south through the Promenades gardens towards the station or the Place Drouet d'Erlon.
Nearby
- Halles du Boulingrin: Reims' covered market hall from the 1920s, with a huge concrete vault, a few minutes' walk east.
- Hôtel de Ville: the 17th-century town hall, a short walk south-east of the arch.
- The Promenades: the tree-lined gardens laid out along the line of the old ramparts.
- Place Drouet d'Erlon: the city's lively pedestrian street of cafés and restaurants.
See Reims with World City Trail
Our Reims scavenger hunt turns the city centre into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 31 minutes of walking. The Porte de Mars is one of the stops, and so are Reims Cathedral and the Palace of Tau.
For people who prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Reims.
Play the Reims scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Reims →
Play the outdoor escape game in Reims →
Facts checked in October 2026.