“Drilled right through the ancient walls,” whispered a tour guide, his voice barely audible above the city’s hum. We stood before the Porta Pertusa, a gate shrouded in a peculiar quietude despite its location in bustling Vatican City. The Porta Pertusa, meaning “pierced door” in late Latin, is a testament to the ebb and flow of power and the ever-changing needs of this sacred city. While the Leonine Wall, on which we stand, had only three main gates, the return of the Popes from Avignon in the late 14th century brought a new wave of inhabitants. The Porta Pertusa was likely created during this period to accommodate the burgeoning Curia, offering them their own discreet passage. Interestingly, the Porta Pertusa wasn’t intended for common use. Imagine it as a VIP entrance for the Papal court! Over the centuries, the gate was closed, reopened, and even mistaken as a viable entry point by the French army in 1849! Today, sealed and silent, the Porta Pertusa serves as a hidden reminder of Vatican City’s intriguing past. Its imposing presence in Viale Vaticano, watched over by the Tower of San Giovanni, beckons us to remember this history etched in stone and whisper tales of those who walked through its “pierced” entryway.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to