Porta Pia, Renaissance city gate in Castro Pretorio, Rome, Italy
Porta Pia is a gate in the Aurelian Walls in the Castro Pretorio district of Rome. On the city side, the facade shows elaborate ornaments and rustication, while the outer face appears simpler and draws on classical elements.
Pope Pius IV had the gate built from 1561 onward on the site of the older Porta Nomentana, with Michelangelo providing the initial designs. On September 20, 1870, Italian troops breached the wall near the gate, sealing the incorporation of Rome into the unified Kingdom of Italy.
The name recalls Pope Pius IV, who commissioned the gate, and the Via Nomentana still passes through its arch into the city today. Visitors notice the ancient wall extending left and right of the opening, still tracing the old line of the city fortifications at this point.
The gate is openly visible from the street and the arch remains accessible, as it continues to serve as a passage. The museum inside opens on selected days and displays items related to the history of the Bersaglieri.
A bronze medal from 1561, struck by Gian Federico Bonzagna, preserves Michelangelo's original concept, which differs from the actual construction. The Museo Storico dei Bersaglieri inside the gate collects uniforms, weapons and documents of this corps, which played a central role in the capture of the city.
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