According to the chronicles of Milan, the medieval Porta Ticinese was built as early as the 12th century. In 1171, after surviving an attack by barbarian troops led by the legendary Frederick Barbarossa with heavy losses, the authorities began to think about reliable protection for the city against potential enemies. Soon a strong stone wall rose around Milan, whose main entrance was Porta Ticinese. In addition, there were 10 smaller gates, but they were built on a much more modest scale.
This information has survived to the present day thanks to the Italian chronicler Bonvesin de la Riva, who created his historical treatise in 1288. However, it is now difficult to say with certainty what the medieval gates he mentioned actually looked like. The fact is that over the next eight centuries this structure was not especially necessary for Milan - the city was hardly threatened by enemies. In addition, the massive gates hindered the free passage of people and carts. Therefore, fragments of the medieval monument and parts of the walls were often destroyed by the townspeople themselves.
The approximate appearance of the gate in the second half of the 19th century was restored by the architect Camillo Boito, however, many critics conclude that he worked relying solely on his own idea of Porta Ticinese...
