- UNESCO
Photo: Claconvr, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Archaeological site
Arco dei Gavi
Ancient Roman honorary arch in Verona, Italy
At a glance
- Type
- Archaeological site
- Style
- Ancient Roman architecture
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- UNESCO World Heritage
- City of Verona
- Coordinates
- 45°26′24″ N, 10°59′20″ E
- Address
- piazzetta Castelvecchio, 37122 Verona
History and description
The Arco dei Gavi is an ancient structure in Verona, northern Italy, situated at the beginning of the Via Postumia, just outside the Roman walls of the city. Built to celebrate the gens Gavia, a noble Roman family who had their hometown in Verona, the Arco dei Gavi is a very rare example of a privately funded monumental Roman arch.
During the Renaissance the arch was one of the most admired monuments in Verona, being described by humanists and antiquarians, who studied in detail the proportional relationships and decoration of the structure. The arch served as inspiration for many architects and painters, such as Andrea Palladio, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Sebastiano Serlio, Giovanni Maria Falconetto, Michele Sanmicheli, Giovanni Bellini and Andrea Mantegna. It had a particularly pronounced influence on the architecture of Verona itself, serving as a model for the construction of portals, altars and chapels in the churches of the city.
History
The Arco dei Gavi was commissioned by the prominent Gavi family and built by architect L. Vitruvius Cerdo in the first half of the 1st century AD, likely during the reign of Augustus, or at the latest in the early years of Tiberius' reign. The arch was once interpreted as a funerary monument or cenotaph, owing to its location along the Via dei Sepolcri, however, its function was most likely the same as that of many other provincial arches: as a symbolic monument of municipal liberties, customarily erected on some occasion of great importance to the city.
Erected along the Via Postumia as an isolated monument, it was later stripped of its decorative elements and incorporated into the new city walls, which were built from the 12th century along the north side of the Adigetto depression, from the current Ponte Aleardi to the fortification that stood on the site of the Castelvecchio. The arch therefore changed its function, being used as a city gate, with the name of Porta di San Zeno. During the rule of the Scaligeri, the arch was incorporated into the defensive system of the Castelvecchio, constructed during the second half of the 14th century. The integration of the structures was extensive - one side of the arch was partially incorporated into a clock tower, while the other supported a walkway that passed over the ancient monument. There was even a guard post in the interior of the arch. This change in function resulted in the partial destruction of the top of the structure, removed to accommodate the chemin de ronde of the castle.
It was only during the rule of the Republic of Venice, which financed the construction of the Venetian Walls, that the arch finally lost its function as a fortified gateway to the city. The arch remained, however, an important waypoint on the route from the new Porta Palio to the heart of the city. In 1550, the Republic of Venice sold the structure and surrounding land, including two shops that had opened within the arch, to private individuals. The new owner decided to reveal the ancient structure by demolishing the medieval walls and adjacent huts that surrounded the arch, after which new buildings were constructed at a respectful distance. …
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Arco dei Gavi».
Timeline
- 1932Reconstruction
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Verona Porta NuovaTrain, nearest
1.3 km as the crow flies
Arco dei Gavipiazzetta Castelvecchio, 37122 Verona
Aeroporto Valerio Catullo di Verona-Villafranca9.3 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore archaeological sites in Veneto
- Free 1st Sunday
Frequently asked questions
Where is Arco dei Gavi?
Arco dei Gavi is in Verona, in the province of Verona (Veneto), Italy. Address: piazzetta Castelvecchio, 37122 Verona. GPS coordinates: 45.44010, 10.98877.
What else is there to see near Arco dei Gavi?
Nearby you’ll find: Domus romana di piazza Castelvecchio (0 m away), Palazzo Canossa (100 m away), Castelvecchio Museum (100 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Arco dei Gavi-XE3F2333a — Claconvr, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 17dic2013 Verona night christmas photo Paolo Villa IMGP1531 (Arco Gavi, fiume or river Adige, Castelvecchio) — Paolo Villa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Arco dei Gavi - Età comunale — Andrea Bertozzi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arco dei Gavi - Età italiana — Andrea Bertozzi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arco dei Gavi - Età romana repubblicana — Andrea Bertozzi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arco dei Gavi - Jacques Androuet du Cerceau — Jacques Androuet du Cerceau (1515-1585), Public domain
- Arco dei Gavi - Wikigita Verona 22-09-2018 PIM2706 — Serpimaz ph, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arco dei Gavi - Wikigita Verona 22-09-2018 — Marcok, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arco Dei Gavi (111325653) — Arnaud Malon, CC BY 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences