Porta Latina

The Porta Latina is a gate in the built 271-275 AD Aurelian Walls in Rome. The gate was in the ancient starting point of the Via Latina in the southeast of the city that connected Rome with Capua.

With its well preserved facade of travertine goal is one impressive examples of Aurelian weir, the result is in its present state, however, various structural modification and restructuring.

The original plant was followed by the widespread scheme aurelianischer gate and had on the outside west of the simple arched passage only one tower. Disguised the gate was in its first phase of construction as other gates also with fine brick masonry. It had a width of 4.20 meters and a height of 6.55 meters. In later times, the eastern tower was added, probably covered the facade with travertine in the same course and set up a gun chamber over the gate with five window openings. The window openings of the gun chamber but were closed again in the 6th century. In the gun chamber was reached by a still -functioning door from the inside of the western tower.

Finally, the door system was reduced to the still preserved width of 3.75 meters and 5.65 meters in height, which probably had reasons fortification. Moreover, a case of gates, the guide has been cut into the stone, mounted on the outer side. To record its weight, a relieving arch was drafted. Also, the gate was a fortified courtyard with double-bladed goal, which is only known from drawings. The towers should be expanded to never executed bastions, for already the foundations were laid.

When all these changes were made is disputed. In general, the time of Honorius is assumed that during his reign numerous changes to the Aurelian Wall and its gates have been made. But since about the middle of the arc outside a monogram of Constantine is located on the inside of the gate corresponds to a Greek cross, a restructuring was envisaged in the time of Constantine.

The eastern tower was completely rebuilt in the Middle Ages. Since the 13th century, the name porta Liberation became common for a goal, the first time in a bull of Honorius III. mentioned as quae dicitur Latina Liberation immersive, but was ousted again in the 18th century in favor of the ancient name. In the said bull is also mentioned that the overdue Torgeld was facing when passing the door of the church of S. Tommaso in formis. The gate was the first time, then again in 1576 and in 1656 closed in 1408 during an occupation of the city because of the plague. Only after thirteen years, the goal in 1669 was officially opened by Cardinal Giulio Gabrielli again. Thus the loss of importance of the gate and the Via Latina could not be stopped. Important was now the relatively new Via Appia Nuova, as commemorated by the proximity of the important church of San Giovanni a Porta Latina could not change. While almost the entire 18th century was the gate closed again, and was only opened in 1911.