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Porta Romana: the Monumental Entrance to the Hernican City
Porta Romana is the main entrance to Veroli for those arriving from the west, along the road leading to Rome. The sturdy structure visible today was designed by Roman architect Giuseppe Subleyras in 1780, and completed two years later. Before that, there was a medieval gate, set further back and narrower, which was unsuitable for the passage of coaches and carriages: the new 18th-century opening was created precisely to meet more modern traffic needs.
Materials and Symbols
The gate is built in travertine and small terracotta bricks. At the summit stands the inscription S.P.Q.V. — Senatus Populus Que Verolanus — recalling the status of municipium acquired by Veroli in Roman times. A way of reaffirming, even in the 18th century, the ancient dignity of the town.
From Porta Arenaria to Porta Romana
In the past this entrance was called Porta Arenaria, after the sandstone quarries in the surrounding area. The current name simply indicates the direction: from here one descended towards the Valle del Sacco and continued towards the Eternal City. Subleyras — son of French painter Pierre, who had settled in Rome — also worked on other buildings in the area, including a church in Boville Ernica. His gate remains one of the most scenic urban entrances in the Ciociaria region.
