Verona's Forgotten Gate: The Roman Arch's Journey Towards Glory Again

The Arco dei Gavi, constructed by the Roman architect L. Vitruvius Cerdo in the 1st century AD, is a rare example of a privately funded monumental Roman arch. It was built to celebrate the Gens Gavia, a noble family from Verona, and originally stood outside the Roman walls of the city. Over time, the arch was relocated within the city walls to a square named Castelvecchio, where it was partitioned off to serve various functions, including a city gate, clock tower, and even a guard post. However, during the Napoleonic occupation, French military engineers dismantled the arch, but thanks to a wooden model created by Giuseppe Barbieri in 1812, it was completely reconstructed in 1932. Today, the restored Arco dei Gavi remains a beloved attraction at the Castelvecchio square.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons