The Walls and Gates

The historic center of Monte San Savino is still encircled by a suggestive curving ring of walls that preserves centuries of history. The earliest fortifications, dating back to the Early Middle Ages (10th–12th centuries), were destroyed in 1325 by Guido Tarlati, lord bishop of Arezzo, and later rebuilt and modified over the centuries.

Between 1970 and 1986, the walls underwent extensive restoration under the supervision of the Soprintendenza of Arezzo, restoring the harmonious appearance admired today.

Monte San Savino retains four main gates, each with its own distinctive character and history:

• Porta Romana, the only gate to preserve its 14th-century appearance, formerly known as Santa Maria or Mercatale Gate.
• Porta Fiorentina, also known as Porta dell’Ajalta, built in the mid-16th century by Nanni di Baccio Bigio from a design attributed to Giorgio Vasari.
• Porta Senese, also called Porticciolo Guglielmi, crowned by the Orsini family coat of arms.
• Porta San Giovanni, named after an ancient baptistery once located just outside the walls.