The most interesting thing about this gate dated 1708 is the coat of arms that presides over it. Under the crown, symbol of the Spanish monarchy, we can distinguish the kingdoms of Castile and Leon, both in the upper and in the lower partitions. In the centre, the lilies remind us of the Anjou branch of the House of Bourbon, while the Kingdom of Granada is represented in the lower part of the coat of arms. However, the four bars of the Crown of Aragon are missing. Obviously, this is not a casual oversight.

Although the early stages of the war were located in Europe, as of the year 1704, the Iberian Peninsula also remained fully involved. Castile remained loyal to Philip V, while Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia, and Mallorca positioned themselves to be in favour of Charles of Austria, who was proclaimed king in Vienna a year earlier. The defeat suffered by the Austrians in Almansa (Albacete) in April 1707 would be followed by the defeats of Valencia and Aragon. The next objective would be Catalonia. The first city to surrender was Lleida in November of that year. However, Barcelona resisted until 1714, which is why the Crown of Aragon does not appear in the coat of arms.

After the main gate of the fortification, you will find the following QR code.