Porta Appia
N 41° 52.393 E 012° 30.107
33T E 292686 N 4638717
The southernmost gate of ancient Rome, one of the most important ones, and one of the most beautiful ones too.
Waymark Code: WM1XFP
Location: Lazio, Italy
Date Posted: 07/27/2007
Views: 71
Nearest Metro Station : Line A "P. dei Re di Roma"
Distance in a Straight Line : 1.4 km.
Originally called Porta Appia, the name is likely to have changed to Porta San Sebastiano during the mediaeval times, due to the famous catacombs dedicated to St.Sebastian, located about 2 Km. (1¼ miles) south of this spot.
Porta San Sebastiano's structure is not very different from the small Porta Latina, but the overall look is surely more massive. Also in this case, some alterations to the original roman gate were carried out by Honorius in the 5th century, such as the reduction of the two original archways to a single passage, likely for safety reasons.
Take a close look at the white stone facing, whose lower part, though, is in marble. Curious elements, often overlooked, are some small round humps, bulging from the stone facing in the lower part of the two towers: these are likely to be symbolic decorations against evil or ill-fortune. Also the previous gate, Porta Latina, has similar ones, but they are much less visible than these ones. Further down, you will notice a few names (some of which followed by a date), inscribed by travellers during the past centuries.
The most interesting feature of this gate, though, can be seen below the arch, on the left (western) pillar, just inside the crease of the portcullis which once closed the passage: a carving featuring an angel in the attitude of slaying a dragon with a spear, holding an orb with the other hand, and a long inscription in Latin dated 1327. The text commemorates a battle which took place here, between Robert king of Naples and a local army largely made of common people; the king's troops, simply referred to as "foreigners", belonged to the Guelfs, a party sympathetic to the pope, while the locals, who won the battle, were Ghibellines, the opposite faction who supported the emperor.
Inside the gate, on the left, is the small Aurelian Wall Museum, open daily (except on Mondays) from 9 AM to 7 PM, or to 1:30 PM on Sundays and holidays. A number of exhibits illustrate its history, and it is also possible to walk above the stretch of wall which reaches the following Porta Ardeatina (described in page 3): presently, this is the only part of the set of roman walls which can be visited.
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C.
Admission Fee: Free
Opening days/times:
24 x 7
Web Site: [Web Link]
Condition: Completely intact or reconstructed
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