The Roman gates of Aosta

Four gates opened in the walls of Augusta Prætoria, the town Augustus founded in 25 BC. Only one still stands, almost intact: the Porta Prætoria, on the east side. Of the other three only traces remain, but we know where they were.

Two streets, four exits: the Roman plan

The Romans laid out their towns on a grid. Two main streets crossed at right angles: the cardo maximus, north to south, and the decumanus maximus, east to west. Each ended at a gate in the wall. Aosta’s old town still keeps this grid.

The Praetorian Gate, to the east, towards Rome

This was the main entrance, on the road from the Po plain and Rome. It has three arches: a large one in the middle for carts and two smaller ones at the sides for people on foot. Behind it, a guard courtyard let soldiers check who came in. A medieval chapel stood on top of it until 1926. It is still the way into the old town today, coming from the Arch of Augustus.

The Decumana Gate, to the west, towards Gaul

At the other end of the decumanus, it also had three arches and led to Gaul over the Little St Bernard Pass. The foundations of one of its towers were found beneath the Regional Library.

The two main gates, to the north and south

To the north, the Porta Principalis Sinistra opened onto the road to the Great St Bernard Pass, towards the Valais and northern Europe. To the south, the Porta Principalis Dextera faced it.

Dressed stone and wooden gates

The gates were built when the town was founded, from large dressed stone blocks laid in regular courses, the opus quadratum. Towers flanked the entrances, and heavy iron-reinforced wooden doors could close them. See also the walls and towers.

Sources: Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley, survey of the Roman walls; Italia.it, Aosta città romana.