Porta Montanara (Montanara Gate), Rimini

Montanara Gate (Porta Montanara), historically known as Porta Sant'Andrea, is an ancient Roman city gate located in Rimini. Built in the 1st century BC following Sulla's civil war, it originally consisted of two arches, serving as a southern gateway to the Roman colonia of Ariminum. Positioned at the southern end of Rimini’s cardo maximus (now Via Giuseppe Garibaldi), it connected the city to the Marecchia Valley and onward to Arretium (modern Arezzo).

The sandstone Montanara Gate, 12.5 meters wide with two 5.9-meter-high arches, fortified Ariminum after Sulla's forces sacked the city in 82 BC. Over time, the northern arch was sealed, and the southern arch was raised due to street-level changes. By the medieval period, it was part of Borgo Sant'Andrea, integrated into structures like Palazzo Turchi, and witnessed the 1528 Papal takeover ending Malatesta rule.

The gate survived heavy Allied bombing during World War II, which uncovered the long-hidden northern arch in 1944. However, the southern arch was destroyed by Allied forces to facilitate tank movement. Following the war, efforts were made to preserve the remaining northern arch. Despite these efforts, the arch was dismantled in 1949 and relocated to the courtyard of the Tempio Malatestiano, where it was reconstructed using modern cement and non-original stones.

In 2004, the arch was restored near its original location on Via Garibaldi, thanks to efforts funded by local organizations. The inauguration was marked by a commemorative medal featuring the original two-arch design and Rimini’s Roman grid plan. The arch now serves as a testament to the city’s rich Roman history and its resilience through centuries of change.

The surviving arch of Montanara Gate, built with double-row voussoirs, reflects Roman engineering, using sandstone from Covignano Hill or Pietracuta. Flint cubes on Via Garibaldi mark the site of the demolished southern arch. Today, it symbolizes Rimini's rich history, from Roman times to modern restoration.