Ripa Gate, also known as Porta Fiorentina, was historically one of Proceno’s three main gates, once providing access to the fortified Etruscan town. Overlooking an open and strategic landscape, it connected the village with the road toward Tuscany.
In the past, this area didn’t feature today’s small square but rather a fork in the road: one branch led north to the Church of Madonna della Neve and Tuscany, the other south to a locality called Salce.
On the left side exiting the town stood a defensive tower, of which the stone circular base from the 19th century is still visible. It was likely built earlier than the main fortress.
Regulation and use over time
The gate, like the others in Proceno, was part of a defensive system regulated by very precise municipal statutes . Two doorkeepers were responsible for opening and closing it: it was opened at dawn and closed after the first hour of the night, except for exceptions authorised by the Governor. As with the other gates, night opening was permitted only during the harvest periods (1 July - 15 August) and the grape harvest (1 September - 15 October).
As defensive needs evolved, between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries access to the gate and the entire entrance to the village underwent changes , as also documented in historical maps , which show the progressive adaptation of the urban space.
Today, Porta Fiorentina represents the only historical gateway still open and accessible, a witness to Proceno's defensive, social and road past.
Where
Corso Regina Margherita, 179, 01020 Proceno VT, Italia
