About
Palermo's oldest street is reached through this triumphal 16th-century arched gateway.
In 1536, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V came to the Kingdom of Sicily and crossed the arched entrance to Palermo after capturing Tunis from the Ottoman Empire. In celebration of the event, the City Senate decreed that the city gate be rebuilt in a more elaborate form befitting the victorious visit. The Viceroy of Sicily initiated the construction, and called the triumphal arch the Austrian Gate. However, locals were not convinced and preferred to keep the original name, Porta Dell’ Aqulla, the “Eagle Gate.” However, they ended up calling it simply Porta Nuova, the “New Gate.” The name stuck.
