Photo: Clemensfranz, CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Fortress / Tower
- Architect
- Carlos de Grunenbergh
- Coordinates
- 37°14′09″ N, 15°13′12″ E
History and description
Porta Spagnola (Italian for Spanish Gate), also known as the Porta di Terra (Land Gate) is a city gate in Augusta, Sicily. It was built between 1681 and 1682 as part of the city's fortifications.
History
The fortifications of Augusta were constructed in the 1670s and 1680s to designs of the Flemish military engineer Carlos de Grunenbergh. On 13 May 1680, the city council granted a loan of 30,000 scudi for the construction of the Porta Spagnola, which was built between 1681 and 1682. The gate is the only entrance into the historic centre of Augusta, and it was built across an isthmus which was subsequently excavated, turning the city into an island. The design of the gate is attributed to Grunenbergh himself.
The gate was located a few hundred metres away from another gate known as the Porta Madre di Dio, which no longer exists. Porta Spagnola was damaged in an earthquake on 13 December 1990, and it was restored in 2005.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Porta Spagnola».
People
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
AugustaTrain, nearest
900 m as the crow flies
Porta Spagnola
Port2.3 km
Aeroporto di Catania Fontanarossa29.2 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 Spagnola?
Porta Spagnola is in Augusta, in the province of Siracusa (Sicily), Italy. GPS coordinates: 37.23575, 15.22007.
Is Porta Spagnola wheelchair accessible?
According to OpenStreetMap data, the site is not wheelchair accessible.
What else is there to see near Porta Spagnola?
Nearby you’ll find: Castello di Augusta (100 m away), Catacombe del Mulinello (4.1 km away), Brucoli Castle (6.3 km 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 5 photos
- Augusta Spanische Tor — Clemensfranz, CC BY 2.5
- Augusta - Porta Spagnola al tramonto — MaRi Sannino, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Porta Spagnolo - panoramio — trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Porta Spagnolo, Augusta SR, Sicily, Italy - panoramio — trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Augusta Door — No machine-readable author provided. Maria lo sposo assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences