Porta Bolognese
The construction of the Porta Bolognese began in 1335, entrusted to Giovanni Di Chele. According to the project, the door had to reach a height of 18.5 meters and was to be decorated with three stone shields bearing the insignia of the Church, the lily of Florence and the coat of arms of Roberto D'Angiò.
However, the gate had a short existence, as it was destroyed, together with the town, during the incursion of the Ubaldini in 1342. Work on a new Porta Bolognese only began in 1371.
At the end of the fifteenth century, Antonio da San Gallo intervened to adapt the gate and the surrounding fortifications to the new defensive needs, reinforcing it and equipping it with an embankment to counter firearms, which were now increasingly widespread.
During the Second World War, the Porta Bolognese was one of the few buildings to resist the bombings that destroyed Firenzuola.
Firenzuola also has another gate, the Porta Fiorentina, located south of the walls, towards Florence, as this city is located further south than Bologna. In contrast, the Porta Bolognese is located north of the walls, in the direction of Bologna.
These two doors symbolically represent the main historical connections of Firenzuola.
Address: Via Giovanni Villani, 84, 50033 Firenzuola FI