Porta Nuova (New Gate), Palermo
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, King of Spain, Lord of the Netherlands, etc., etc., made so many journeys holding his empire together, he was never in one place for too long. Like a bee in a hothouse, he did a lot of pollinating. After conquering Tunis in 1535, he returned to Europe via Palermo, Sicily.
Charles entered Palermo passing through the Gate of the Eagle. The Senate of Palermo went wild. To memorialize the event, they authorized the building of a fancier gate. Marcantonio Colonna, Viceroy of Sicily, started construction in 1583. The gate was finished in 1584. He called it the Austrian Gate. The people called it the New Gate.
The gate burned down in 1667, so the Senate once again authorized building and they commissioned Gaspare Guercio to do the job. He finished the rebuilding in 1669.
The facade leading to the inner city and the Cassaro, the oldest street in Palermo, is formed like most triumphal arches. The facade leading outward to the Calatifimi Course and the Independence Square displays four large telamones in the forms of Moors captured by Charles V. Charles, who of course never got to see them.
Charles entered Palermo passing through the Gate of the Eagle. The Senate of Palermo went wild. To memorialize the event, they authorized the building of a fancier gate. Marcantonio Colonna, Viceroy of Sicily, started construction in 1583. The gate was finished in 1584. He called it the Austrian Gate. The people called it the New Gate.
The gate burned down in 1667, so the Senate once again authorized building and they commissioned Gaspare Guercio to do the job. He finished the rebuilding in 1669.
The facade leading to the inner city and the Cassaro, the oldest street in Palermo, is formed like most triumphal arches. The facade leading outward to the Calatifimi Course and the Independence Square displays four large telamones in the forms of Moors captured by Charles V. Charles, who of course never got to see them.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Palermo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The GPSmyCity App
Porta Nuova (New Gate) on Map
Sight Name: Porta Nuova (New Gate)
Sight Location: Palermo, Italy (See walking tours in Palermo)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Palermo, Italy (See walking tours in Palermo)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Palermo, Italy
Create Your Own Walk in Palermo
Creating your own self-guided walk in Palermo is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Palermo Introduction Walking Tour
Around 8,000 BC, people called Sicani drew pictures in a cave outside Palermo. The scene shows a ritual sacrifice in the theatre. Was it a paleolithic foreshadowing of the temples, churches, and cathedrals to come?
The Sicani were succeeded by the Phoenicians. They made a settlement called Ziz which eventually became Palermo. But first, the Greeks, followed by the Carthaginians, followed by the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
The Sicani were succeeded by the Phoenicians. They made a settlement called Ziz which eventually became Palermo. But first, the Greeks, followed by the Carthaginians, followed by the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Historical Religious Buildings
Religion has always played an important role in the lives of the Italians – and the Sicilians are no exception. Thus, it is little wonder that the main city of the island, Palermo, boasts a plethora of religious buildings. The collection of historical churches found here ranges from the Arab-Norman-Byzantine to the Medieval, Gothic, Baroque and the Renaissance.
In the course of history, many... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
In the course of history, many... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Palaces of Palermo
For centuries, Sicilian capital Palermo has been a focal point for the construction of noble dwellings and palaces. The latter were and still are a fine manifestation of the historical life in the region. They are a few hundred of them still in place, ranging chronologically from the medieval period to the first decades of the 20th century, and comprising an impressive collection of architectural... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles