Situated at the heart of Milan, Porta Venezia stands as a piece of the city's historic past. Initially, its name was Porta Orientalis (Eastern Gate), but it has been commonly known as Porta Venezia (Venice Gate) since the 16th century. Despite the interpretations of its various names, what remains factual is that Porta Venezia was a strategic gate during the Roman and medieval periods, playing a crucial role in the city's defense and commerce. During the Spanish walls construction in the 16th century, it served as a customs station.
In the 19th century, Porta Venezia's strategic importance was replaced by its newfound cultural significance as the gate led to Milan's LGBTQ+ friendly district, a trend that has persisted to this day. Via Lecco and its surroundings are home to many LGBTQ+ venues, making Porta Venezia a popular meeting place for the community. In 2019, the metro station of Porta Venezia became the first LGBTQ+ dedicated urban transport stop in Italy, after a commercial advertisement campaign by Netflix Italia for the 2018 Milano Pride.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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