Mura di Todi

Todi's surviving walls and gates record three successive defensive circuits around the hill. Ancient inner lines and a larger medieval perimeter reveal the changing extent of the historic town.

Why it matters

The defences connect Todi's urban form with its long history as an Umbrian and Roman centre and a medieval commune. Successive circuits enclosed different areas as the settlement developed.

What to notice

Porta Marzia marks the innermost circuit, while Porta Aurea and Porta Catena belong to the ancient defensive framework below it. The outer medieval walls include Porta Perugina and Porta Amerina, also known as Porta Fratta. Porta Romana has a later, sixteenth-century form, with an arch of contrasting red and white stone. These differences make the gates evidence of rebuilding as well as defence.

Context and history

The earliest circuit is broadly associated with the Umbrian-Roman town; a second reflects its Roman development. The outer medieval ring was built from around 1244 to enclose expanding quarters. Later alterations to the gates adapted this inherited perimeter, leaving masonry from several periods within the structure of the historic city.