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Porta Franceta in Sutri: Where Three Eras Meet on the Via Francigena
Porta Franceta is the point where pilgrims travelling along the Via Francigena would enter Sutri, the last stop before Rome. It is located in Via di Porta Vecchia 12, on the southern side of the town, in the province of Viterbo. Look closely, and you'll see three different eras within it: Etruscan masonry at the base, Roman fortifications, and 15th-century bastions.
The Coat of Arms of Saturn and Changing Names
On the gate is the city's coat of arms: Saturn on horseback. Over the centuries, the name has changed several times: first it was Antica Porta della Vittoria (Ancient Gate of Victory), then Porta Franceta, and finally Porta Vecchia.
The Intervention of Cardinal Altieri
What we see today is thanks to Cardinal Altieri, who had the gate restored between 1453 and 1472, giving it its current form.
Practical Information
The gate is located in Via di Porta Vecchia 12, Sutri.
