Imagine the countless feet that have passed through this very spot. We are standing before Porta del borgo murato. It is an opening in walls of Milan. These walls have seen centuries come and go.
Milan’s gates weren’t always the grand structures we see today. They began as simple gaps. These gaps were made in the city’s walls. They evolved over time into fortified entryways. Some even became monumental landmarks.
Porta del borgo murato is part of a rich history. Milan’s gates and pusterle offer a glimpse into the city’s past. Pusterle were secondary gates. They were smaller and less grand than the main port.
In Roman times, Milan was called Mediolanum. The city’s first gates were built then. They went up together with the city walls. These original gates marked the ends of major roads. Porta Comasina led to Como. Porta Giovia faced Lake Maggiore. Porta Orientale pointed toward Verona. Porta Romana headed towards Rome. Porta Ticinese connected to Pavia. Porta Vercellina led to Vercelli and Turin. Porta Tosa was near Milan’s Roman river port.
Later, in 291 AD, Milan became the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Emperor Maximian expanded the city walls. He added three more gates. Porta Argentea, Porta Aurea and Porta Erculea.
Sadly, all these early gates and walls didn’t last. They were destroyed in 1162. This happened during the siege of Milan by Frederick Barbarossa. New medieval walls replaced them.
The medieval walls had six main gates. They divided the city into districts. There were also about ten smaller, fortified pusterle. These acted as secondary access points. Porta Romana was one. Porta Ticinese stood nearby. Porta Vercellina controlled another entry. Porta Comasina oversaw access to the north. Porta Nuova opened to the newer parts of the city. Porta Orientale faced east. Porta Giovia eventually disappeared. It was lost when the Rocca Giovia was built. This later became the Sforza Castle.
The Spanish built new walls between 1548 and 1562. This was under the orders of Ferrante Gonzaga and Charles V. The new walls were needed because gunpowder made the old walls obsolete. These walls stretched for about eleven kilometers. This made them the largest in Europe at the time.
The Spanish walls had six main gates. They kept the names of the old medieval gates. These gates controlled access to the city. Porta Romana was an exception. It was built in 1596 as a triumphal arch. It celebrated the arrival of Margaret of Austria-Styria. The other gates were monumentalized in the 19th century. They gained representative functions in addition to their roles as toll collection points.
In the 19th century, new gates were added to accommodate growing traffic. These included Porta Sempione, Barriera Principe Umberto and Porta Genova.
Milan’s gates have seen many changes. Porta Tosa became Porta Vittoria. Porta Vercellina was renamed Porta Magenta. Porta Comasina became Porta Garibaldi. Porta Orientale was renamed Porta Venezia.
Today, Porta del borgo murato stands as a reminder. It reminds us of Milan’s long and complex history. It has been shaped by Romans, medieval lords, Spanish rulers and more. As you pass through, remember the echoes of the past. Consider the stories that these stones could tell.