The Spanish Gate in Augusta is a demonstration of the Spanish dominance over Sicily which lasted three hundred years, from the 15th to the 18th century.

History of the Spanish Door

The Spanish Gate was built with the contribution of all the citizens of Augusta in 1681 at the behest of the viceroy Benavides, who entrusted the task to the engineer Carlos de Grunembergh.

The Spanish Gate in Augusta was the main entrance to the city which was accessed via drawbridges and was used to close the Aragonese city walls.

Of the original gate, only the upper area can currently be seen due to the various changes made to the structure over the centuries.

Door Structure:

At the top of the Gate it is possible to observe a frame surmounted by the crown of the King of Spain Charles II, supported at the base by two rampant griffins.

The Golden Fleece contains a panel where the coat of arms of the viceroy Francesco Benavides is sculpted, while on the door there is a plaque that affirms the strategic importance of the port of Augusta, on which the following wording can be read: «D.O.M. Carol II Hispaniarum ac Siciliae rege imperante, Siciliae prorex D.Franciscus Benavides Comes S.Stephani, in tanto portus litore muniendo non solum Siciliae, sed totius Italiae et Cristiani nominis incolumitati consulere extimavit MDCXXCI».

Source: italyra.com

Translated by Google •

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Elevation 20 m

Weather

Today

Wednesday 8 October

25°C

17°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Augusta, Siracusa, Sicily, Italy

Spanish Gate of Augusta

1. Castello Svevo Augusta loop from Augusta

2. Spanish Gate of Augusta – Duomo di Noto loop from Augusta

3. Spanish Gate of Augusta – Sebastiano Building loop from Augusta

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️