Porta Romana

Porta Romana belongs to the ancient walls of Florence, dating back to the 14th century, and it is the largest and best preserved gate of the city. This entrance still has the original iron doors and a marble slab with the Medici coat of arms.

Porta Romana is at the end of two boulevards: Viale del Poggio Imperiale and Viale Machiavelli. From here, Via Romana starts and leads to the historic center of Florence. Also, at the top of the boulevard Niccolò Machiavelli it is possible to run through a wonderful historic street of Florence. Along the boulevard there are small parks with benches and fountains.

At the center of the roundabout stands a marble statue of Michelangelo Pistoletto (Biella, June 25, 1933), the “Dietrofront” [Turnabout] (1981-1984). The sculpture was presented for the first time at the artist's exhibition at Forte Belvedere, and later permanently installed in the square of Porta Romana.

It consists of two female figures by the large size (about six meters high), the vertical one pointing at via Senese, which leads to Via Cassia and then to Rome; the other one (about three meters) is placed on the head of the first, and looks towards via Romana that enters the city walls of Florence.

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