This content was automatically translated. View the original text.
The Portella of Fondi: The Only Surviving Roman Gate of the Castrum
Of the four gates that once protected the ancient castrum of Fondi, the Portella is the only one still standing. It stands on the north-eastern side of the town, on Via Vitruvio Vacca — the principal cardo street of the historic centre — and marks the entrance to Roman Fondi. The gate has a double closure: two arches in sequence with a covered passageway between them, through which the portcullis would slide to block access. The grooves along which it ran are still visible in the jambs. Fondi is in the province of Latina, an hour from Rome along the Via Appia.
Dry-Laid Blocks and Square Towers
The structure dates back to a period between the 4th and 1st centuries BC. Two massive jambs, built of mortar-free rusticated blocks fitted dry, support a segmental arch. Square towers rise on either side. In the 1st century BC, three local magistrates — the aediles — oversaw the reconstruction of the walls, gates, and towers: an inscription on the architrave once recorded their names. It was lost however in the bombing raids of January 1944.
A Restoration Centuries in the Making
The other three gates were demolished in the 19th century. The Portella survived, but fell into severe disrepair. In 2007 a comprehensive restoration saw it return to the town.
