Bologna's gates

Bologna still preserves clear traces of its medieval past: streets, canals, towers and, above all, its ancient gates, the monumental thresholds that for centuries marked the entrance to the city. Of the original twelve gates, ten remain today, each with its own story and its own secrets.

Explore Bologna’s medieval gates, unique landmarks that reveal the history of the city.

• Porta Castiglione

Built in the 13th century and modified several times during the 14th, this gate controlled the eastern access toward the Savena Valley, earning it the name “Porta dei Canali” (Gate of the Canals). The original structure included a gate-tower with a bridge over the moat and a fortified outpost, no longer visible today. Its current appearance is largely the result of an 1850 restoration that reshaped its identity. 

Today, Porta Castiglione is an important urban crossroads, linking the historic city center directly with the green hills surrounding Bologna.

• Porta Maggiore

Also called the “Gate of Honor”, Porta Maggiore is among the most monumental. It marks the continuation of the ancient Via Emilia eastward and has been crossed through the centuries by kings, armies, religious authorities and travelers bound for Romagna. The structure underwent many alterations and once featured a watchtower and a drawbridge to control access to the city. Demolition was planned in 1902 along with the tearing down of the city walls, but during the works the imposing remains of the medieval gate emerged and were restored instead.

Today it retains its majestic character and symbolic importance, serving as a major gateway between the historic center, the outer districts and the main roadways of the city.

• Porta San Donato

Built in the 13th century and altered repeatedly, Porta San Donato stood along the road toward Ferrara and Padua. Its proximity to the University of Bologna, founded in 1088 (the oldest in the Western world) meant the gate was frequently used by students, professors and scholars from across Europe. Over the years, calls were made to demolish it to ease modern traffic flow, but it was ultimately preserved as a historical asset.

Today, the gate sits in a vital area of the city near the university district, acting as a boundary between the historic center and outer neighborhoods. Its surroundings form a lively meeting point filled with students and residents.

• Porta Galliera

From the outset, Porta Galliera served an important role linking land and water routes toward the plains and toward Ferrara. Known as the "Gate of the Fortress", it stood near the stronghold of Cardinal-Bertrand du Poujet, built in the 14th century. A symbol of papal authority over Bologna, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt until 1511, when another revolt against the Pope of the time led to its final destruction. The ruins visible today are the remains of that event. Whenever Bologna attempted to free itself from papal control, this structure was torn down - an eloquent testament to the city’s fiercely independent spirit.

Today, the remains of Porta Galliera lie in Piazza XX Settembre near Bologna Centrale train station. The ruins have been restored and preserved as part of the city’s historical heritage.

• Porta San Felice

While Porta Maggiore controlled the eastern entrance to Bologna along the Via Emilia, Porta San Felice guarded the western one. Built in the 13th century and modified many times over the centuries, it played a key role in the city’s defense and in commercial development. It was also known as the “Gate of War", as for centuries troops, mercenaries and pilgrims passed through it on their way toward the Apennines and beyond. With the decline of the city walls’ military function in the 19th century, the gate gradually lost its strategic role and became absorbed into the expanding urban fabric.

Today it retains a stern, compact appearance, with its unmistakable central arch, and stands along one of the main arteries of the city.

The two lost gates

• Porta Sant’Isaia - demolished in 1903

Porta Sant’Isaia once formed part of Bologna’s medieval defensive ring, regulating the flow of people and goods. In the 19th century, during the city’s modernization and the demolition of the walls to allow urban expansion, the gate was torn down. Like many others, its disappearance marked the city’s passage from a fortified center to a more open and growing urban landscape.

Though it no longer exists, its memory remains alive in Bologna’s historical consciousness.

• Porta San Mamolo - demolished in 1902

Its structure included guard towers and a closure system to control access to the city. It also housed the facilities necessary for collecting tolls and ensuring public order. When the gate was demolished, some architectural elements were reused in nearby buildings, while historical documents and drawings record its former appearance.

Today, Via San Mamolo, named after the long-lost gate, still links the city center to the hills, keeping its memory alive.

Questions and Curiosities

• How many gates did Bologna have?

Ten remain of the original twelve medieval access points to the city, each with its own story and character.

• Which is the most beautiful gate in Bologna?

Beauty is subjective, but a few are clear favorites. Porta Saragozza is beloved for its position at the start of the Portico di San Luca, giving it unique visual appeal. Porta Galliera impresses with its monumental ruins and its connection to the former fortress and nearby station. Porta Maggiore is the most historically significant: as the main eastern gateway on the Via Emilia, it welcomed popes, rulers and distinguished travelers for centuries.

• One Gate, One Zodiac Sign

A charming - but entirely unfounded - folk tradition associates each gate with a zodiac sign, tracing an imaginary astrological path around the old city walls. The idea arises from a real coincidence: Bologna’s layout is radial, with twelve main streets branching out from Piazza Maggiore and leading to its twelve medieval gates (ten still standing today), mirroring the twelve signs of the zodiac.

According to this theory, Bologna’s Etruscan foundation in 520 BC followed a ritual that divided urban space as the sky was divided among the gods. Each gate would thus correspond to a zodiac sign and symbolically reflect its traits and energy, guiding - at least for the more romantic souls - the “destiny” of those who live in or frequent each area of the city.