Bagnoregio. Saint Mary gate in Civita di Bagnoregio

Bagnoregio. Saint Mary gate in Civita di Bagnoregio

Saint Mary gate is the medieval gateway to Civita on the Bagnoregio side and is named Santa Maria for the nearby church dedicated to the Madonna.

In the past it was also known as Porta Cava because the original Etruscan gate had been excavated in the tuff.

On the walls, crosses are scratched into triangles probably made by pilgrims returning from the Holy Land or by Templars as a reminder of the cross of Golgotha ​​in Jerusalem.

On the sides of the door there are two bas-relief sculptures reminiscent of the victorious popular revolt of the inhabitants of Civita against the Orvieto family of the Monaldeschi of 1457. The sculptures are of a lion holding a human head in its claws. 

The gate is the only one left of the two once existing.
 


Written by:
DiscoverPlaces

Discoverplaces is an organization born from the desire to promote small towns and Italian territories. Our mission is to create bridges between Italian descendants and the Italian Community of their...

Subscribe to Newsletter

Discover a territory through the emotions of the people that have lived it.