005.

Porta Chiusa olim Querquetulana

Porta Chiusa is situated next to the southern corner of the Castro Pretorio, Plate 5A. Nibby's 1820 image (Le Mura di Roma, 1820) shows it essentially unchanged but with the curve of the arch less depressed than in Vasi’s view. A train of horses and two riders can be seen riding out of the city from the gate which Vasi incorrectly labels as Via Tiburtina (making the same error in Plate 5A as well). On the left a women and child are seen walking on a street toward the gate that Vasi correctly labels Via Gabina. Nolli indicates a tree-lined avenue in Villa Lattanzi, within the Aurelian walls, which connects this gate (marked with a star * in the Nolli map) to the entrance gate of the villa. This garden path probably traces the ancient street leading from the city gate toward the Baths of Diocletian, Plate 35. Since it is of the same type as Porta Pinciana, Plate 2, Porta Clausa ("closed") must have been reconstructed during the reign of the emperor Honorius (395-423 AD). The true ancient name for this gate is unknown. The gate survives to this day, but is inaccessible to the general public.