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Porta Romana and Palazzo Venturi: the monumental gateway to the village on the Via Francigena
Porta Romana and Palazzo Venturi mark the entrance to Campagnano di Roma, a historic town 33 km from the capital along the Via Francigena. The imposing Baroque arch - known to the locals simply as "l'Arco" ("the Arch") - leads into Borgo Paolino, the 17th-century quarter connecting the central square to the medieval core. Immediately beyond the gate, on the right, the palazzo now houses the Museo Archeologico del Pellegrino (Archaeological Museum of the Pilgrim).
An arch conceived by the people, completed by the Chigi family
In 1640, the people of Campagnano resolved to erect a monumental gate at the point where the Strada della Terra bridge met the entrance to the village. Construction did not begin until 1714, when the Chigi family, the new lords of the fief, revived the project. The arch was completed in 1734 using stone from Monte Gelato, and features pilaster strips, engaged columns and the town's coat of arms carved in stone.
The Palazzo and the 19th-century tower
The 17th-century core of Palazzo Venturi was commissioned by the Orsini family. In the second half of the 19th century it was enlarged, and a Neo-Gothic tower was added. Acquired by the Municipality in 1980, it now serves as a cultural hub, housing a public library, a historical archive and a documentation centre for the Parco di Veio area. The rooms currently occupied by the museum were formerly the stables of the Mounted Pontifical Carabinieri, stationed there to patrol the Via Cassia.
