Mura medicee di Sansepolcro e Porta Fiorentina

Sansepolcro's Medici walls and Porta Fiorentina record the town's transition from papal rule to Florentine control. The defensive circuit and the straight route of Via XX Settembre preserve the structure of the historic centre.

Why it matters

Sansepolcro passed to Florence in 1441. The Medici strengthened its defences, and Giuliano da Sangallo later adapted the circuit to the needs of gunpowder warfare. Porta Fiorentina, at the northern end of Via XX Settembre, remains one of the historic entrances to the town.

What to notice

Via XX Settembre, once the Via Maestra, runs roughly a kilometre between Porta Fiorentina and Porta Romana. Along the walls, curtain sections meet angular bastions shaped for artillery defence. The Fortezza del Sangallo remains a central element of the defensive system, though it is privately held.

Context and history

Florentine rule reshaped the town's fortifications, particularly during the sixteenth century, when the Medici invested in the walls and fortress. The two principal gates took their names from the routes leading toward Florence and Rome. Demolition of the outer suburbs in the sixteenth century helped preserve the compact form of the historic centre.