Porta Borsari
Encyclopedia
Porta Borsari is an ancient Roman
gate in Verona
, northern Italy
.
It dates to the 1st century AD, though it was most likely built over a pre-existing gate from the 1st century BC. An inscription dating from emperor Gallienus
' reign reports another reconstruction in 265 AD. The Via Postumia
(which here became the decumanus maximus
) passed through the gate, which was the city's main entrance and was therefore richly decorated. It also originally had an inner court, now disappeared.
The gate's Roman name was Porta Iovia, as it was located near a small temple dedicated to Jupiter
lustralis. In the Middle Ages it was called Porta di San Zeno
, while the current name derives from the guard soldiers which were paid the dazio
(Latin bursarii).
The façade, in local white limestone
, has two arches flanked by semi-columns with Corinthian capitals which supports entablature
and pediment
. In the upper part is a two-floor wall with twelve arched windows, some of which are included in small niches with triangular pediment.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
gate in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
It dates to the 1st century AD, though it was most likely built over a pre-existing gate from the 1st century BC. An inscription dating from emperor Gallienus
Gallienus
Gallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis...
' reign reports another reconstruction in 265 AD. The Via Postumia
Via Postumia
The Via Postumia was an ancient Roman road of northern Italy constructed in 148 BC by the consul Spurius Postumius Albinus Magnus.It ran from the coast at Genua through the mountains to Dertona, Placentia and Cremona, just east of the point where it crossed the Po River...
(which here became the decumanus maximus
Decumanus Maximus
In Roman city planning, a decumanus was an east-west-oriented road in a Roman city, castra , or colonia. The main decumanus was the Decumanus Maximus, which normally connected the Porta Praetoria to the Porta Decumana .This name comes from the fact that the via decumana or decimana In Roman city...
) passed through the gate, which was the city's main entrance and was therefore richly decorated. It also originally had an inner court, now disappeared.
The gate's Roman name was Porta Iovia, as it was located near a small temple dedicated to Jupiter
Jupiter (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....
lustralis. In the Middle Ages it was called Porta di San Zeno
Basilica di San Zeno
The Basilica di San Zeno is a religious building of Verona, Northern Italy. Its fame rests partly on its architecture and partly upon the tradition that its crypt was the place of the marriage of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Together with the abbey which forms an annex, it is dedicated to St....
, while the current name derives from the guard soldiers which were paid the dazio
Dazio
Dazio is a comune in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 80 km northeast of Milan and about 20 km west of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 380 and an area of 3.7 km²....
(Latin bursarii).
The façade, in local white limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, has two arches flanked by semi-columns with Corinthian capitals which supports entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
and pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
. In the upper part is a two-floor wall with twelve arched windows, some of which are included in small niches with triangular pediment.
See also
- Porta LeoniPorta LeoniPorta Leoni is an ancient Roman gate in Verona, northern Italy.The gate was built during the Roman Republic by P. Valerius, Q. Caecilius, Q. Servilius and P. Cornelius, and restructured in imperial times. It was connected to the road which led to Bologna and Aquileia.The original Roman name is...