The Borghese Arch of Artena, declared a national monument, è the gateway to the ancient city. È an imposing structure built between 1618 and 1624 on commission of Cardinal Borghese, who chose Martino Longhi and Vasanzio as architects.
The monument è features a mass of tufa ashlars with architectural elements and stone battlements. Its location contrasts with the wall of the Civita plain to the north, while the opposite side faces the panorama of the cityà new to the south.
The monument is located on the north side of the Civita plain.
Recognized both as a symbol of the city of Artena and as a key work in the 17th-century urban landscape, the Borghese Arch è today the main passageway to the historic center. In spite of its massive appearance, the structure appears light and elegant, rising on three different ashlars and featuring a main facade rich in decorative elements. In the center of the’arch stands out a’travertine spread-winged eagle, while in the third ashlar two round stone medallions with two dragons in relief stand out.
The cardinal’s grandiose coat of arms towers in the center of the Baroque architecture, surmounted by six monolithic tufa battlements crowned with travertine balls. A travertine frieze, which once gladdened the eye with the year of construction stamped in large lead letters, completes the work.