The arch was originally intended to honor the birth of the Dauphin, son of King Louis XVI.
Lieutenant André Désilles died from wounds sustained while trying to intervene between the loyalist forces and the mutinous Swiss guards during the 1790 uprising.
The monument was officially renamed Porte Désilles in 1867 to honor the officer's memory.
The sculpture work on the arch includes depictions of military trophies and civic themes typical of late 18th-century French architecture.
Porte Désilles is an 18th-century triumphal arch located at the entrance to the Parc de la Pépinière in Nancy. Originally commissioned in 1782 as the Porte Stainville, it served as a ceremonial entrance to the city. Following the 1790 Nancy Affair, where military mutineers were suppressed, the arch was dedicated to the victims of the uprising and renamed in honor of Lieutenant André Désilles. It features classical architectural elements, including paired Corinthian columns and decorative bas-reliefs illustrating scenes of the conflict. The structure serves as both a city gate and a memorial, marking a shift in its function from royal monument to commemorative site. It remains a key historical point of interest at the northern edge of the city's historic center.
From the center of the Place de Luxembourg, looking through the arch toward the entrance of the park.
Visit immediately before or after walking through the adjoining Parc de la Pépinière.
Look for the commemorative plaques on the interior walls of the arch that explain the site's historical significance.
Do not mistake this for the older Stanislas gates; this arch is specifically linked to the post-Revolutionary period.
