Both a city gate and a triumphal arch, the “Porta Napoli” is one of the major access points in and out of the city of Lecce in the Italian region of Puglia. It was built in 1548 in honor of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V who had ordered the fortification of the city in response to Ottoman aggression. Once attached to defensive walls, the structure is today free-standing and displays a giant Habsburg coat of arms as well as an inscription celebrating Charles the V as a champion of Catholicism.  Buona visita!