Walking along Via Pighin, from the intersection with Via Casalini, and ascending towards Corso del Popolo and Piazza Merlin, you can admire the magnificence of two of the city gates: the Augustina and the San Bortolo gates (below is a historic pizzeria that still has a long line of people waiting at certain times). Rovigo originally had six gates, outside of which remained the boroughs. They were built for various reasons and demolished over time, in some cases without explanation.
There was the Porta Sant'Agostino, so called because it was located a few steps from the church dedicated to the saint. Built around 1582 and rebuilt in 1713, it can be admired in all its splendor by walking along Via Casalini, where the inscription "Porta Augustina" is engraved. The Porta Arquà was so named because it was located on the road that, after a few kilometers, leads to Arquà Polesine. It was erected in 1503 under the reign of Andrea Erizzo. The coat of arms of the Doge of the Serenissima, Leonardo Loredano, was clearly visible, carved in stone above the gate.
The other four doors
Porta San Bartolomeo (or Porta San Bortolo) is so named because the neighborhood of the same name and the Olivetan Monastery were located outside it. It is the best-preserved gate, and can be admired from Piazza Merlin. It was erected between 1482 and 1486 while Giovanni Mocenigo was Doge of the Serenissima. His coat of arms can be seen on the building's battlements. In the central section of the gate, there was a statue of the Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, by the artist Clemente Molli, which is currently housed in the Church of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso.
The Porta San Francesco was located near the Church of San Francesco (now the Church of Saints Francis and Justina). Little is known about the construction of this gate. However, it is known that, due to neglect and in serious disrepair, it was rebuilt in 1697 under the leadership of Giovanni Paolo Vidman. It was then completely demolished in 1892.
Porta San Giovanni takes its name from the small church of San Giovanni, located nearby. It was built in 1503 and demolished in 1852, although it is still in excellent condition. The "Portello" gate, so called because of its smaller size compared to the others, was erected by Giovanni Bottari in 1741 and destroyed around 1823.
Cover photo: postcard, Adriano Santarato, from the group “Rovigo ei Rodigini”.
Sources: Francesco Bartoli, the paintings, sculptures and architecture of the city of Rovigo.
