The city walls used to completely surround the city centre in medieval times. They were about 2000 mt. long, built in the XII century and then expanded between the XIII and XIV century.
When Massa Marittima was conquered by Siena, part of the walls was destroyed and the original perimeter was reduced.
The Sienese people then decided to erect a second wall, about 230 mt. long, to divide and control more easily the conquered city. This is the only part of the walls that can be visited and you can access from the Candeliere Tower.
Fortunately, large parts of the walls remain today, along with most of the many gates. The walking itineraries are very impressive: one along the outside of the walls of lower Cittavecchia and the other between the gate of San Francesco and the Convent of the Clarissan nuns, in Cittanuova.
You can also see many medieval gates like Porta Silici or Porta San Bernardino.
Porta San Francesco or Porta all’Ala
It was built by the Sienese in 1337 after the demolition of the Massetane walls that also contained the convent of San Francesco. Between the two arches, on the right-hand wall is a small door, reopened in 1920 and leading back to the Fortress of Monteregio via a secret staircase. Above the door on the outside is the Balzana, the coat of arms of Siena.
Curiosity: the gate gave access to the way to the charcoal pits that were located outside the walls to prevent fires. Some historians think that the charcoal reserves served as a defence and would be lit in case of external attacks.
The gate dedicated to the saint born in Massa Marittima in 1380; it remained walled up for several centuries only to be reopened during World War II to facilitate evacuation in the event of air raids. The Bernardine emblem can be seen above the door.
Anecdote: it is said that the Saint passed through this gate on his way to Siena. To his fellow citizens of Massa who begged him to stay, he said: ‘if I don’t come, I’ll send the cloths’, an expression still in use today among the people of Massa.
Porta San Bernardino
This gate is dedicated to the saint born in Massa Marittima in 1380; it remained walled up for several centuries only to be reopened during World War II to facilitate evacuation in the event of air raids. The Bernardine emblem can be seen above the door.
Anecdote: it is said that the Saint passed through this gate on his way to Siena. To his fellow citizens of Massa who begged him to stay, he said: ‘if I don’t come, I’ll send the cloths’, an expression still in use today among the people of Massa.
Porta Eleonora or of Val d’Aspra
It is called di Val d’Aspra after a bloody battle that took place on 13 December 1230 between the Massetani and the Senesi where rivers of blood flowed. In ancient times, it was called Porta Nuova (New Gate) and was walled up for many centuries, only to be reopened in 1784 when it took the name Porta Eleonora because the vegetable gardens of the widow Eleonora Vannuccini were nearby.
Anecdote: it is said that in 1570 a farmer called Pedo, who was always idle in Massa, disappeared every now and then to dig in a quarry known only to him from which he took earth mixed with gold and sold it to goldsmiths in Siena and Florence. He had to be captured alive. He was attacked near Porta Val d’Aspra and killed, so no one ever knew where the quarry was.
Porta al Salnitro formerly Porta a Mare and all’Arialla
The gate takes its name from the mineral that was used for gunpowder, saltpetre, which was obtained by scraping damp and poorly ventilated walls in public or private spaces. On these surfaces an efflorescence of white crystals, saltpetre in fact, spontaneously forms.
The door is surmounted by Ghibelline battlements.
Curiosity: one can see from the outside the coat of arms of the Massa republic, a rampant lion with a cross called a ‘patente’, one of those crosses that the municipality had carved when building the city walls on this and other gates, which would represent the oldest coat of arms
Porta alle Formiche formerly Porta dell’Abbondanza and the Theatre
The name derives from the ants found in the nearby granary of the Palazzo dell’Abbondanza. This gate has no coat of arms or battlements and was walled up during the Sienese rule to be reopened in 1784 when it was also named dell’Abbondanza or del Teatro. The latter name was given following the construction of the Goldoni Theatre, now the site of the cinema of the same name and exhibition and convention hall.
Curiosity: the gate gives access to Via Goldoni, also called Pantaneto in the past because of the rainwater that came down from the steep “Storcicoda” street and reduced it to a quagmire.
San Rocco or Senese Gate
It was built by the Sienese to replace that of Bufalona by narrowing the city walls to consolidate their dominance and make it easier to defend the city. The ancient Porta di Bufalona was located near the small church of San Rocco, protector of plagues. The church was built in 1487 precisely during a plague.
Curiosity: on the historical side, the Porta di San Rocco recalls the entrance of Emperor Charles IV on a visit to Massa Marittima while he was in Siena. It was the eve of San Cerbone, the patron saint of the town.
Porta alle Silici
Last in the description of the ancient gates massetanae, but first in importance and impressiveness is the Porta alle Silici that connects Cittavecchia with Cittannova.
On the arch of the gate facing Cittavecchia is the Balzana, the coat of arms of Siena, and on the one facing Cittannova is an inscription commemorating the foundation of the fortress built by the municipality of Siena in 1337.
Curiosity: three square openings can be seen in the vault from which large stones or boiling oil were thrown at the enemy who dared to penetrate inside the gate.
