Porta Montanara was one of the city gates of Cesena, dating from the fourteenth century and standing near the Rocca Malatestiana; a new one, still existing, was built in the seventeenth century.
What to see
The Malatesta lordship built a circuit of walls to defend the city, of which long stretches and some gates survive. Porta Montanara dates from the mid-fourteenth century and was the entrance to the city from the hills. Between 1619 and 1621 the defensive system was altered: a new road, via Malatesta Novello, was opened and a new gate was built, called Porta Nuova and later known by the same name as the earlier one, which remained incorporated in the sferisterio, where its outline can still be recognised.
Of the oldest circuit, of medieval origin and known as the «Murata», a rather late description exists by Cardinal Anglico de Grimoard, from 1371, which also mentions the gate: the Murata, on the upper part of the Monte and surrounded by a high wall, had three gates guarded by sentries, and the Montanara, which led towards the mountain, was close to the rocca. On Porta Montanara is placed an inscription with a quotation from Renato Serra, taken from «Esame di coscienza di un letterato», in which the writer describes the walk from Piazza del Popolo to the gate itself.
Visiting
The gate stands near the Rocca Malatestiana, in Cesena. The sources consulted say nothing about access or hours; information can be sought on the «siti tematici» website of the Comune di Cesena, which the sources list as the official site.
Our editors' tip
To retrace the walk Renato Serra describes in the inscription, start from Piazza del Popolo and walk to the gate: the Rocca Malatestiana is right beside it.
