Porta del Popolo, City gate in Rome, Italy
Porta del Popolo is a large stone city gate on the northern edge of Rome's historic center, where the ancient Via Flaminia enters the old walled city. Its outer face shows a single tall arch between two side openings, topped with carved columns and statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, while the inner side opens toward a broad oval piazza.
The gate began in the 3rd century as a simple opening in the Aurelian Walls for travelers heading north. During the 16th century it received a new outer facade designed by Nanni di Baccio Bigio, and in 1655 Gian Lorenzo Bernini added decorations for the arrival of Queen Christina of Sweden.
The gate's name comes from the nearby church of Santa Maria del Popolo, built in the late 11th century with support from ordinary Romans. Today, people use this spot as a natural meeting point between the busy shopping streets of the center and the quieter edge of the old northern entrance.
The gate is easy to reach on foot from the nearby piazzale Flaminio, where several bus lines and a metro stop are located. Walking through it is simple, as the central passage is wide and the ground around it is mostly flat.
A small window above the outer arch was once used by a gatekeeper who opened and closed the wooden doors each day and collected tolls from incoming travelers. Today that wooden door, covered in copper, still hangs in the central passage.
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