Palatine Towers

The Palatine Towers form the Roman city gate on the northern side of Turin, with two angular towers rising about thirty meters (approximately one hundred feet) on a square base. The central section spans roughly twenty meters (about sixty-five feet) and contains four passageways originally designed for carts and pedestrians.

The gate was built in the first century as the northern entrance to the city of Julia Augusta Taurinorum and formed part of the Roman defensive walls. Over the centuries it underwent several modifications and was incorporated into later fortifications.

The name comes from the nearby palace, though the gate itself predates any later building in the area. Today visitors can see the remains of guard rooms between the passageways, where Roman soldiers once stood watch.

Visitors will find the gate in the old town near the Roman theater and can view it from outside at any time. Deep grooves in the pavement beside the passageways show where Roman cart wheels left their marks over centuries of use.

Grooves in the entrance walls held the cateractae, mechanical gates made of wood or metal that could be lowered from above. Guards stationed in the upper rooms operated these barriers to close the city quickly when needed.