Arco dei Gavi

The Arch of the Gavii is a Roman family monument reconstructed beside Castelvecchio in Verona. Its carved architectural decoration and unusual surviving architect's signature connect ancient building practice with a later history of dismantling and recovery.

Why it matters

The gens Gavia commissioned the arch in the first century AD beside the Via Postumia. The signature names Lucio Vitruvio Cerdone, once confused by antiquarians with the architectural writer Vitruvius. It preserves a personal connection to the monument's design.

What to notice

The four-fronted structure combines Corinthian columns, triangular pediments and coffered vaults. A Medusa head decorates the ceiling. Empty niches recall the family statues once incorporated into the principal fronts. Basalt paving with wheel grooves evokes the Roman road, but the rebuilt arch no longer stands on its original site.

Context and history

The monument later served as an urban gateway and acquired adjoining shops. French military engineers dismantled it in 1805 as an obstruction to traffic. Its blocks were stored first in Piazza Cittadella and later at the Arena before reconstruction in 1932, close to the ancient location rather than directly upon it.