The name Vestergade ("West Street") testifies Gammeltorv's original status as the most important square in Copenhagen. In the Middle Ages, Vestergade was Copenhagen's main street, linking the square with the Western City Gate at its western end. The north side of the street was lined with guesthouses. The city gate was moved a little further to the south in 1668 but Vestergade maintained its role as the principal entrance road for traffic coming from the west. The street was completely destroyed in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728 and again in the Fire of 1795.