Porta Matera, Gate in the old city wall of Altamura, Italy
Porta Matera is a medieval city gate in Altamura that once served as a southern entrance to the walled city. Although the original structure no longer stands, the site is commemorated during the annual Federicus festival when wooden doors are erected to serve as an entrance for historical processions and reenactments.
The gate was part of medieval city walls that protected Altamura and controlled movement in and out of the city. In 1799, troops led by Cardinal Ruffo entered through this gate during a period of upheaval, marking a significant moment in the city's troubled past.
The gate took its name from the nearby city of Matera, which it once led towards. Today the site reappears during the annual Federicus festival when wooden doors are erected and the city's neighborhoods recreate their medieval past through processions and reenactments.
The former gate location is in central Altamura near Piazza della Resistenza, where a plaque marks the historic spot. Visitors can walk the surrounding streets and squares to understand the old city layout, and the site comes alive during the annual Federicus festival when reenactments begin from this point.
An old stone relief at the site depicts a leg carved in memory of Giovanni Pipino, a 14th-century rebel who was executed and dismembered. The relief was rebuilt in the 17th century and remains visible as a stark reminder of the harsh justice once displayed to citizens.
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