Porta del Popolo
Porta del Popolo
4
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Centro
How to get there
- Flaminio - Piazza del Popolo • 2 min walk
- Lepanto • 10 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.0
161 reviews
Excellent
46
Very good
88
Average
26
Poor
1
Terrible
0
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Brad
Hong Kong, China175,461 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
This is one of the city gates that was constructed along with the 3rd-century Aurelian Wall at the north end of Piazza del Popolo. The gate was restored and given a more regal appearance by Michelangelo in the 16th-century along with work by later architects in the 17th-century like Bernini. It seems that motor traffic passed through the gate until the 1990s, now it is for pedestrian use only, allowing for leisurely up close time viewing Porta del Popolo while sightseeing around the square.
Written 8 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mairwen1
United Kingdom11,216 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Porta del Popolo is the formal main entrance to the grand Piazza del Popolo.
It has undergone many changes over the years and both Michelangelo and Bernini had a hand in its design. However the original structure is much, much older than that and was built by the Emperor Aurelian in the 3rd century.
The outside facade was given a make-over in 1561 by Pope Pius IV who called on Michelangelo. The aging Michelangelo passed the job on to another architect. The design features columns taken from the ancient basilica of St. Peter and is flanked by statues of the saints, Peter and Paul.
For some reason, Pope Pius IV only bothered with one side of the gate so in 1665, Pope Alexander VII realised that the inside also needed a fresh face. He turned to Bernini whose new design prominently included the Pope’s coat of arms - six stylised mountains and a star.
In the 1870s, the gateway was enlarged to include two extra sets of columns and the two smaller side archways.
Overall, this is one of several beautiful features in Piazza del Popolo that make the piazza well worth visiting.
It has undergone many changes over the years and both Michelangelo and Bernini had a hand in its design. However the original structure is much, much older than that and was built by the Emperor Aurelian in the 3rd century.
The outside facade was given a make-over in 1561 by Pope Pius IV who called on Michelangelo. The aging Michelangelo passed the job on to another architect. The design features columns taken from the ancient basilica of St. Peter and is flanked by statues of the saints, Peter and Paul.
For some reason, Pope Pius IV only bothered with one side of the gate so in 1665, Pope Alexander VII realised that the inside also needed a fresh face. He turned to Bernini whose new design prominently included the Pope’s coat of arms - six stylised mountains and a star.
In the 1870s, the gateway was enlarged to include two extra sets of columns and the two smaller side archways.
Overall, this is one of several beautiful features in Piazza del Popolo that make the piazza well worth visiting.
Written 6 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rui_F74
Santo Tirso, Portugal18,354 contributions
Jun 2023
It is the main entrance to the beautiful and large Piazza del Popolo and was built in the 17th century. III.
The outward-facing part of the square is more beautiful and was rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century. XVI. The interior part also had an intervention around a hundred years later.
Anyone coming from Flaminio Metro station must pass through this door, which looks like a monument.
The outward-facing part of the square is more beautiful and was rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century. XVI. The interior part also had an intervention around a hundred years later.
Anyone coming from Flaminio Metro station must pass through this door, which looks like a monument.
Written 13 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PATO-BETO
San Martin, Argentina19,912 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
The door on the inside was a work of the prominent Italian sculptor Bernini in 1655. Depending on which side you look at it, it has a different appearance. Formerly it was part of the Aurelian walls that were built to defend the city. Until 1867 it had great importance since all travelers entering or leaving Rome had to cross it, then with the arrival of the train station and other means of transportation it gradually fell into disuse. Currently it is another of the attractions of Piazza del Popolo.
Written 24 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jshtyo
Aichi Prefecture, Japan15,401 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
You must go through this gate to get to Piazza del Popolo. If you get off the subway and head to Piazza del Popolo, you must go through this gate. The obelisk stands in the square, and it is always crowded with people. This square is also a meeting place for tourists.
Written 7 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mairwen1
United Kingdom11,216 contributions
Jun 2022
The large, formal gateway in the style of an ancient triumphal arch, is one of the main entrances to Piazza del Popolo.
There’s a lot to see in this piazza and the lion fountain and obelisk tend to grab your attention so when we first visited, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the gateway.
I should have looked more closely.
Michelangelo’s work can be seen here. In 1561, Pope Pius IV commissioned him to rebuild the facade, although by this stage, Michelangelo was in his mid-80’s and plagued by arthritis and kidney stones, so although he was responsible for the design, he did not carry out the actual work himself. Interestingly, his design was based on the Arch of Titus, which you can still see standing at the Roman Forum. The four columns that flank the central arch, were recycled from the old St Peter’s basilica. St Peter and St Paul stand in between them.
Later, in 1665, in readiness for the upcoming arrival of the wildly unconventional Queen Christina of Sweden who had recently abdicated and converted to Catholicism, Pope Alexander VII was busy sprucing up the city. Her cortege, amidst much pomp and celebration, would pass through the Porta del Popolo so the pope commissioned the Baroque genius, Bernini, to revamp the inner facade.
Bernini’s work is on the side facing the piazza.
Pope Alessandro VII was a great self-aggrandiser and Bernini knew which side his bread was buttered on so the Pope’s family’s coat of arms featured prominently above the central arch. These are the rounded, stylised hills and star.
The gateway was further developed in the 1870s, when it was enlarged to include two extra sets of columns and the two smaller side archways.
There’s a lot to see in this piazza and the lion fountain and obelisk tend to grab your attention so when we first visited, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the gateway.
I should have looked more closely.
Michelangelo’s work can be seen here. In 1561, Pope Pius IV commissioned him to rebuild the facade, although by this stage, Michelangelo was in his mid-80’s and plagued by arthritis and kidney stones, so although he was responsible for the design, he did not carry out the actual work himself. Interestingly, his design was based on the Arch of Titus, which you can still see standing at the Roman Forum. The four columns that flank the central arch, were recycled from the old St Peter’s basilica. St Peter and St Paul stand in between them.
Later, in 1665, in readiness for the upcoming arrival of the wildly unconventional Queen Christina of Sweden who had recently abdicated and converted to Catholicism, Pope Alexander VII was busy sprucing up the city. Her cortege, amidst much pomp and celebration, would pass through the Porta del Popolo so the pope commissioned the Baroque genius, Bernini, to revamp the inner facade.
Bernini’s work is on the side facing the piazza.
Pope Alessandro VII was a great self-aggrandiser and Bernini knew which side his bread was buttered on so the Pope’s family’s coat of arms featured prominently above the central arch. These are the rounded, stylised hills and star.
The gateway was further developed in the 1870s, when it was enlarged to include two extra sets of columns and the two smaller side archways.
Written 21 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe Wilson
26 contributions
Apr 2019
take the subway to this entrance. very scenic and lots of history. usually the meeting place for tours to pompeii by City Wonders
Written 6 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
traveltoforeignlands
San Diego, CA570 contributions
Jul 2015 • Friends
The nickname for Piazza del Popolo which lies immediately behind this gate is this biggest public square that I have ever visited throughout the world! The translation is Square of the People; however, its nickname is "Public Living Room". Beyond its vast size that is able to accommodate huge numbers of people and yet still make one feel that one is not in a crowded place because of its vastness, there are a couple of pretty fountains located there. One of them is the Neptune Fountain (not to be confused with the Fountain of Neptune located at Piazza Navona which is the more beautiful of the two); the other I was unable to discover its name but it is a statue of a warrior who is flanked by two river gods and there is a carving of Romulus and Remus being suckled by the she-wolf. This particular fountain is at the base of the Pincio. At the end of the piazza opposite Porta del Popolo are two famous churches: Santa Maria di Miracoli (Saint Mary of Miracles), and Santa Maria di Montesano (I believe the interior of one of these two churches was used in a scene in the movie Angels and Demons where the clergymen burned to death while suspended from the church ceiling). For me, the highlight of the Piazza is the Flaminian Obelisk that was built for Pharaoh Ramses II, over 3200 years ago and brought to Rome from Heliopolis by Emperor Augustus! It has been in the Piazza since the 16th century.
Written 22 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SoCalOregonian
Murrieta, CA10,355 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
The gate is located on the north side of Piazza del Popolo, this is one of many gates of the Aurelian Wall and was the main northern entrance into the city. The gate was rebuilt in the 16th century and the interior façade was designed by Bernini and dedicated in 1655. The inscription above the portal “FELICI FAVSTOQ INGRESSVI ANNO DOM MDCLV” loosely in English “For a Happy and Propitious Entrance 1655”. Due to the heavy volume of pedestrian traffic, the gate was enlarged to the current configuration with the side archways opened.
Written 18 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pookie677
Barnsley, UK63 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
This thing is HUGE! Amazing to think it’s been there for 2000 years! Very impressive! The piazza itself is all kinds of wonderful .
Written 6 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We want to eat a meal before a 4 pm walking tour. What are the recommendations? Thank you!
Written 7 June 2018
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