Porta Volta, City gate in Milan, Italy
Porta Volta is a city gate in Milan featuring two symmetrical control buildings connected by an iron gate that marks a passage through the former Spanish walls. The structure displays neoclassical design elements and is complemented by contemporary architecture that shapes the surrounding area.
The gate was completed in 1880 by architect Cesare Beruto and established a connection between central Milan and the newly constructed Monumentale Cemetery. It served as part of the urban infrastructure supporting the city's northward expansion during that period.
The site gained new importance as a social and cultural hub with the Feltrinelli Foundation headquarters, which serves as a library and research center. This addition transformed the location into a space where historical significance meets contemporary intellectual activity.
You can reach the gate using metro lines M2 and M5 by exiting at Garibaldi station and walking north along Via Alessandro Volta. The area is easily walkable and accessible from different parts of the city.
Two original neoclassical toll houses remain at the site, preserving memory of the 19th-century tax collection system. These well-kept buildings show how toll officials once worked and controlled passage through the gate.
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