Porta Soprana, Genoa, Italy

Porta Soprana is the best-known gate of the ancient walls of Genoa. After major restorations carried out between the 19th and 20th centuries, it has regained the appearance it supposedly had at the time of the construction of the so-called Barbarossa walls (1150 ca.).

Castles and fortifications in Italy

User Reviews

4KProductions (2 years ago)
Beautiful! Must see if you in Genova. Nearby check the Christopher Columbus' House.

Raif & Vy (2 years ago)
Nice old historical gate to observe and walk through on your way to old town. Amazing place to eat and drink. There are some old ruins just outside the gate.

Marius David (2 years ago)
Nice historical place loved to walked around.

HOANG Tuan Anh (3 years ago)
Nice

1girl 1passport (3 years ago)
Porta Soprana is the best-known gate of the ancient walls of Genoa. Beautiful tucked away from the main road that leads to Piazza De Ferrari. Genoa's new city walls were built in the 12th century to defend the independence of the Republic against the expansionist ambitions of Emperor Barbarossa, after whom they are named. Porta Soprana, Porta Aurea and Porta di Santa Fede. Porta Soprana served as the entrance to the city for those arriving from the east, looking over the plane of Sant'Andrea, which took its name from a monastery demolished in the 19th century to create Via Dante and the building that currently houses the Banca d'Italia.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Porta Soprana

Address

Details

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus