Porta Macchiaia
Barga | Province of Lucca | Tuscany | ITALY
Porta Macchiaia is one of the historical gates located in Barga. The oldest part of Barga is protected by the city’s walls, which were erected on top of the remains of its medieval defences from the 17th century onwards. Three gates provided access to the so-called “Castle of Barga”: Porta Reale, Porta Macchiaia, and Porta di Borgo.
It was named Macchiaia because it faces north, towards the forests (macchie) of the Apennines. Once known as Porta Latria because of its proximity to Latriani, the gate was first built in the 15th century. It probably boasted a much more ample and majestic look than the bare arch that remains today. The remains of a watchtower can still be discerned to the left of the gate. The tower, together with its long-lost drawbridge, was once part of the defences constructed to safeguard this point of access into the city.
Porta Macchiaia
Barga | Province of Lucca | Tuscany | ITALY
Porta Macchiaia is one of the historical gates located in Barga. The oldest part of Barga is protected by the city’s walls, which were erected on top of the remains of its medieval defences from the 17th century onwards. Three gates provided access to the so-called “Castle of Barga”: Porta Reale, Porta Macchiaia, and Porta di Borgo.
It was named Macchiaia because it faces north, towards the forests (macchie) of the Apennines. Once known as Porta Latria because of its proximity to Latriani, the gate was first built in the 15th century. It probably boasted a much more ample and majestic look than the bare arch that remains today. The remains of a watchtower can still be discerned to the left of the gate. The tower, together with its long-lost drawbridge, was once part of the defences constructed to safeguard this point of access into the city.