Photo: Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Fortress / Tower
- Period
- Early modern period, 1669
- Style
- Baroque architecture
- Architect
- Gaspare Guercio
- Coordinates
- 38°06′44″ N, 13°21′10″ E
History and description
Porta Nuova is a monumental city gate of Palermo. It represents the entrance of the Cassaro (the main and most ancient street of the city) from Corso Calatafimi (the way to Monreale) and is located beside Palazzo dei Normanni, royal palace of Palermo. The gate was built to celebrate Charles V's conquest of Tunis (1535) and his visit to the capital of the Kingdom of Sicily.
History
According to the historian Tommaso Fazello the original gate was built in the 15th century. The building was initially called "Porta dell'Aquila" (Gate of the Eagle), but the people of Palermo got used to call it "Porta Nuova" ("New Gate").
After Charles V's conquest of Tunis, the Emperor came to Sicily. He entered in Palermo through this gate on 13 September 1535. In order to commemorate this event, the Senate of Palermo decreed to rebuild the gate in a more sumptuous style. The Viceroy of Sicily Marcantonio Colonna set off the construction in 1583. The gate was completed in 1584. The Viceroy renamed it "Porta Austriaca" (Austrian Gate). For this reason the building was also called "Porta Imperiale" (Imperial Gate). But nevertheless, the name "Porta Nuova" continues to be used.
The gate was destroyed in 1667 when a fire erupted inside the warehouse of the building. The Senate of Palermo commissioned the architect Gaspare Guercio to rebuild the gate. The work was completed in 1669.
Description
The facade leading to the Cassaro has the typical style of the triumphal arches. The facade leading to the Corso Calatifimi and Piazza Indipendenza presents four big telamones depicting the Moors defeated by Charles V.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Porta Nuova».
Timeline
- 1669Built
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Palazzo Reale-OrleansTrain, nearest
400 m as the crow flies
Porta Nuova
Palermo (Siremar)1.9 km
Aeroporto di Palermo Falcone e Borsellino23.2 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore fortresses and towers in Sicily
- UNESCO
Frequently asked questions
Where is Porta Nuova?
Porta Nuova is in Palermo, in the province of Palermo (Sicily), Italy. GPS coordinates: 38.11214, 13.35278.
Is Porta Nuova wheelchair accessible?
According to OpenStreetMap data, the site is wheelchair accessible.
How old is Porta Nuova?
Wikidata dates it to 1669.
What else is there to see near Porta Nuova?
Nearby you’ll find: Palazzo dei Normanni (100 m away), Palatine Chapel (200 m away), Walls of Palermo (200 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
- 2009-03-22 03-29 Sizilien 096 Palermo, Porta Nuova (3411624019) — Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
- "Die Porta Nuova war für Jahrhunderte das wichtigste Stadttor Palermos" 01 — Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 0615 - Palermo, Porta nuova (sec. XVI) - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto, 28-Sept-2006 — G.dallorto, Attribution
- 0617 - Palermo, Porta nuova (sec. XVI) - Schiavi turchi . Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto, 28-Sept-2006 — G.dallorto, Attribution
- 0618 - Palermo, Porta nuova (sec. XVI) - Schiavi turchi . Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto, 28-Sept-2006 — G.dallorto, Attribution
- 2009-03-22 03-29 Sizilien 098 Palermo, Porta Nuova (3412437538) — Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
- 2009-03-22 03-29 Sizilien 099 Palermo, Porta Nuova (3412440502) — Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
- La loggia de la "Porta Nuova" (Palerme) (7026708567) — Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Palermo - Porta Nuova - 2025-09-10 23-19-24 001 — SilviaPen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences