Ancient City Gates/Triumphal Arch

Ancient City Gates/Triumphal Arch Review

In addition to ancient Verona's famous arena and Roman theater, two of its city gates and a beautiful triumphal arch have survived. These graceful and elegant portals give us an idea of the high aesthetic standards of the time. The oldest, the Porta dei Leoni (on Via Leoni, just a few steps from Piazza delle Erbe), dates from the 1st century BC, but its original earth-and-brick structure was sheathed in local marble during early Imperial times. The Porta dei Borsari was, as its elegant decoration suggests, the main entrance to ancient Verona, and, in its present state, dates from the 1st century AD. It's at the beginning of Corso Porta Borsari, just a few steps from the opposite side of Piazza della Erbe. Continuing down Corso Cavour, which starts on the other (front) side of Porta dei Borsari, you can find the beautiful Arco dei Gavi, which is simpler and less imposing, but also more graceful, than the triumphal arches in Rome. It was built in the 1st century AD by the architect Lucius Vitruvius Cerdo to celebrate the accomplishments of the patrician Gavia family. It was highly esteemed by several Renaissance architects, including Palladio.