Tag: gate

Welcome to Verona

©2023 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

No matter where you go in Italy, you will find celebrated cities filled with stunning architecture, monumental landmarks and bustling piazzas. Some cities are mere blips on the map and others more well known.

Having stayed in Venice so often and walked its alleys, crossed its bridges and traversed its canals, I felt as though it was time to venture out further and see those nearby cities, a brief train ride away.

On a recent trip, we had arrived in Venice much earlier than usual. Deciding to take advantage of this early morning accession, I checked the train schedules and decided to make the hour long journey to Verona.

Having studied the city’s map, I learned that there was so much to this city than its ties to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and I decided that I was going to navigate its streets and landmarks on foot, so that I could take in every detail.

Arriving at the city’s main train station, Porta Nuova, I set out to make my way to Verona’s historical center. Following my GPS’s directions, the first thing I encountered was Porta Nuova… Yes, I had just departed the train station, Porta Nuova, but there was another.

Built between 1532 and 1540, the city gate of Porta Nuova was built under the direction of architect Michele Sanmicheli, replacing the ancient Porta di Santa Croce, with the sideways of the gate being added by the Austrians in 1854.

The gate was constructed to encourage access to the city and I thought it befitting that it was the first thing I encountered when seeking out the historical section of Verona. Only one of two remaining gates in the city, it offered entrance from the south and was an important element of the city’s fortifications.

While, the gates’ arched doorways were barred off, I was able to look inside, through the openings and inspect the surrounding premises. The facade’s details have been restored and the structure is topped with the Italian flags.

The stop at Porta Nuova was not one I had planned, but rather merely encountered on my route to other attractions in the city center. However, it was a beautifully restored and maintained architectural piece of Verona’s past and I was glad that it was there to welcome me as it had done to countless others over the centuries.

If there was more like this to come…I couldn’t wait to see what else was in store!

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Porta Nuova

  • Address: Corso Porta Nuova, 1, 37122 Verona VR, Italy
  • Hours: 24 hours, daily
  • Admission: free

Marquis Landmarks

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Walking along the Manzanares River in Madrid, especially on a beautiful day, is a real treat as many landmarks and parks sit on or near its banks.

As I left the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, I decided to make my way to the Chapel of the Virgin of the Harbour which lies a short distance away, in the shadow of the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Walking along the Paseo de la Florida, I neared the metro station of Principe Pio and spotted a large structure in the middle of the traffic circle.

The San Vincente Gate.

Curiosity had me whipping out my phone to see what information I could find on this interesting piece of architecture. What I found, however, was more interesting than I anticipated.

While Madrid is filled with many historic architectural features, this was not one of them!

In 1726, a structure, commissioned by the Marques de Vadillo, stood in this area. Consisting of three giant arcs topped with a figure of San Vicente, the gate was also known as Puerta de Florida. Standing for about fifty years, it was then demolished to make way for much needed roadways. In 1775, King Carlos III, contracted Francesco Sabatini to design a new gate, closer to the river. Built of granite and limestone, it featured two shutters and an arc, Doric columns and military symbols. Unlike the first one, it stood for over two hundred years…but much like the first, it too was disassembled in the 1980s for traffic renovations.

In 1992, a proposal was passed by the City Council of Madrid approving an exact replica of the original 1775 gate. Original molds were used to construct the single arch and two blind apertures, decorated with two Doric columns and two pilasters in its interior.

Risking life and limb to make my way through the traffic zooming around the traffic circle, I crossed the roadway to get a closer look. What I thought was part of the gate, I quickly realized was remaining Christmas lighting, set within the openings of the the arches. The sun was low in the sky, highlighting the structure and I noted that if I stuck around for a couple of hours, I might get to see these holiday lights enhancing the structure.

If I wanted to get to the Chapel of the Virgin of the Harbour, however, I needed to make haste, so off I went, walking along the Paseo de la Virgin del Puerto. Many people were out due to the unseasonable warmth and I grew excited as I spotted the spires of the chapel in the distance.

Noting its unique appearance, I thought that it reminded me of a German palace. I approached from the rear, appreciated the sun’s rays highlighting the beautiful towers and roofline.

This chapel was built between 1716 and 1718 by Pedro de Ribera and is one of the first examples of baroque architecture in Spain. It was damaged by missiles in 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, which left only the walls and the octagonal dome. In 1945, it was proclaimed a national monument and reconstruction was begun by architect Carlos Mendoza. The church was reopened in 1951.

On this day, however, it was not open. I had read that it was often closed to the public and the best time to obtain access was immediately after masses of which I had hoped there would be one during the afternoon. I had hoped that it might arrive just at that time, however, it was locked up tight and I realized that the only afternoon masses were on Saturdays. Sad, considering that in the interior, you can see the tomb of Marquis Vadillo…yes, that same Marquis responsible for the San Vicente Gate, which I had just visited. What a coincidence!

While my visit to the chapel was a bit of a bust, I did get to get up close and personal to the Gate of San Vicente and learn that the chapel houses the remains of the person responsible for this gate. So, although I didn’t quite get to do what I had set out to, I learned a little bit about something unique in Madrid.

And that’s what visiting a city is all about…discovery!

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Gate of San Vicente

Chapel of the Virgin of the Harbour

The Red Gate

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Everyone likes to make an entrance.

In 1634, construction began on strong city walls which were to protect the city of San Juan from enemy attacks.  Completion of the twenty foot thick masonry walls took 148 years and six gates (puertas) were constructed to allow access through the walls into the city.  Each of the gates was protected by a sentry box (garita) to shelter the guards and the entryways were secured at night with no access until morning.

The San Juan Gate (Puerta de San Juan) was the formal entrance to the city and was the point of entry where Spanish dignitaries arrived.  After access was granted, these dignitaries, made their way up the cobblestone streets, to Catedral San Juan Bautista (also known as San Juan Cathedral), to thank God for their safe voyage.

The other five gates spaced throughout the three-mile wall were used to transport materials and supplies and also to allow for everyday traffic.  Today, only Puerta de San Juan, and inestimable landmark, is accessible to tourists and is a must-see in the historic city.  Located southwest of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, the gate is continually open and after passing through, panoramic views of San Juan Bay, the busiest ocean port in the Caribbean, Isla de Cabras (Goat Island) and a small Spanish fort, El Canuelo, across the channel can be appreciated.  The path, through the gate, leads to Paseo del Morro, the National Recreation Trail which skirts the coast, following the city walls (La Muralla) from the gate to the notable citadel.

As you approach the gate, you will notice an inscription, Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.  The verse comes from The Sanctus, “Holy”, a Latin hymn from Catholic liturgy and means, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”.

As I made my way through the gate, I made a stop to inspect the sentry box on the coastal side of the wall.  Following Paseo del Morro’s flawlessly paved path, I marveled at the waves sometimes pounding the shore on one side and the ancient wall on the other, repeatedly marked with garitas.  At the end of my one and a half mile trek, I suddenly realized that the path ended.  Many people will tell you that you should retrace your steps back to the San Juan Gate, however, along with a German family, I found an entrance to the grounds of El Morro fort, a remarkable structure that was next on my list.

And the story of the fortified city continues…

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San Juan Gate

  • https://sanjuanpuertorico.com/la-puerta-de-san-juan-san-juan-gate/
  • Address:   Cll Caleta De San Juan, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico
  • Hours:  Open 24 hours
  • Admission:  Free
  • Getting There:  From the Cathedral, follow Caleta de San Juan westward.