The Gate of Saint Nicholas

The Gate of Saint Nicholas  (Italian - Porta San Niccolò) or the Tower of Saint Nicholas (Italian - Torre San Niccolò) is an architectural monument, part of the ancient fortress wall in Florence. Located in the ​​Oltrarno, on the square Giuseppe Poggi. From the gate began the road to the south, across the bridge of St. Nicholas. The tower defended Arno from the east, along with the Mint tower on the opposite side.

The name of the gate comes from the church of St. Nicholas in the eastern part of Oltrarno. Both were built in 1324. The project of the architect Andrea Orcani includes the sixth circle of city walls. The San Miniato hill was a natural defense against the attacks of enemy artillery. Now this is the only gate that has kept its original height. The prongs are not original, they were completed in the 19th century.

At the Gate of St. Nicholas were the Chianti tram line, which operated in 1890-1935 between Florence, San Casciano Val di Pesa and Greve in Chianti.

There were statues of lions in two edices on the outside, each one by one. The tower is also decorated with multiple images of the coat of arms of the Florentine Republic. You can see three large open arches inside, one on each floor. Directly above the gate of the gate is a fresco with the image of Our Lady with the Child and the forthcoming saints John the Baptist (patron of the city) and Nikolai the Wonderworker (patron of the district). The fresco was created in the XIV century.

From here begins the Poggi ramp, a staircase built in the 19th century by architect Giuseppe Poggi and led in the Piazzale Michelangelo.