The medieval city of Aigues-Mortes houses 8,560 inhabitants (2019) in the Gard department. Its name comes from the marriage of the words aigues (waters) and mortes which means that the land on which this city extends mostly consists of swamps. Some 18.64 miles (30 km) east of Montpellier, the city and its ramparts are a gateway to the Camargue region and are also linked to the sea by the Grau-du-Roi canal. The first major constructions in the current location of Aigues-Mortes date back to the year 791, when Charlemagne had the Tour Matafère built as an observation and defense tower.