Sorrento was a city defended by solid walls. On three sides were walls of typical grey tuff stone whilst the northern side had high cliffs defending it from the sea and a castle by the main entrance gate called the Porta del Piano, Porta di Sant’Antonino or Porta di Castello. Once over the bridge you entered through the gate with the statue of Saint Antonino on top which is now in the middle of Piazza Tasso.
The statue was positioned facing outwards as if welcoming visitors, and in fact popular belief has it that “Sant’Antonino loves foreigners”.
Once inside, on the right, was a castle probably built during the 15th century. This had a bell tower and a clock. The tower’s function was to warn of imminent danger, ringing the bell.
The castle and the gate met their end during the 19th century in the wake of major urban changes affecting the city of Torquato Tasso at the time. In fact, between the end of 1800 and the beginning of 1900, the gorge was filled in, unifying the centre of Sorrento with the area outside the walls.
