The Porta Montanara
The Porta Montanara was, at one time, the main entry point into the city from the South. It was probably constructed, over an existing entry point, when the Ariminum walls were fortified during the reign of the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (commonly known as Sulla in modern Italian). The original walls were heavily damaged during the civil war between Sulla and Gaius Marius – when Ariminum supported Gaius Marius.
The gate changed in size and dimensions – for example, it’s suggested that in Roman times there were two gates, one to enter and one to exti – over the centuries, but even up until the 1940s it was a prominent entry point into the city. It was very different to the current reconstruction, as it had been incorporated into the city’s buildings, as shown below.
After the ferocious fighting during the battle of Rimini, and the immediate post-war reconstruction, the gate was largely destroyed. The remains were taken and reconstructed in a different location in the vicinity of the Tempio Malatestiano, but from 2004 work was undertaken to re-install the ruins of the gate to its rightful resting place. It makes an impressive site today.
