Italy 1943–1945
Porta San Paolo, Rome
Battle site and memorial
The story
On 10 September 1943, two days after the armistice, Italian soldiers and armed civilians fought German troops at this Roman gate in a last attempt to keep them out of the city. It is remembered as the first act of the Roman Resistance, and plaques on the walls honour those who fell.
What to look for
Find the memorial plaques on the gate and the Aurelian Walls; the Pyramid of Cestius stands next to it.
Plan your visit
Piramide metro (Line B). Combine with the Rome War Cemetery a few minutes away on foot.
- Notice
- The Museo della Via Ostiense inside the gate is temporarily closed
Checked September 2026 from official sources: cultura.gov.it, turismoroma.it. Things change, so check before you travel.
Nearby sites
- Rome War Cemetery, Testaccio · under 1 km
- Portico d'Ottavia and the Jewish Ghetto · 2 km
- Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome · 2 km
- Museo storico della Liberazione, Via Tasso · 2 km
- Via Rasella, Rome · 3 km
- Mausoleo delle Fosse Ardeatine, Rome · 3 km
All 96 sites in Italy 1943–1945 →
Into Europe: Italy 1943–1945
A free field guide for your phone: the route, the maps and the stories built in, even with no signal. The places of the Allied campaign in Italy, from the Sicily landings of July 1943 through Salerno, the Winter Line, Ortona, Cassino and Anzio, Rome, the Gothic Line and the final battles on the Senio and the Po in April 1945.
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