Do not simply assume it is the city gate. Porta San Giacomo is a masterpiece which wants to welcome all the visitors to the city.
It has been there since Roman times, when it was called the high noon gate due to its position. The gate was destroyed and rebuilt several times until its current look which dates back to the end of 1500.
The white marble façade rises solemnly upwards thanks to two lateral pinnacles alongside the San Marco’s lion statue. The real secret of this gate is the decoration which is facing outwards: beyond being a strategic defence point, the gate represents an opening and is an element for communicating the size of the city to strangers.
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