This magnificent gateway, surmounted by two towers, was the main access to the ancient city from the East (Levant).
Between 1155 and 1158, facing the threat of assault by the army of Frederick Barbarossa, the Genoese participated in the construction of the new city walls and gates. Thanks to this Genoa was not subjected to attack by the imperial troops and instead, the emperor was forced to negotiate with a city which was not only powerful, but also had a fleet capable of keeping any land army in check.
Restored in the early twentieth century, Porta Soprana impresses with the impetus of its towers but also with the elegance of the entrance arch: an ogival arch (which predates the adoption of this feature as a recurring motif of Gothic art) framed on both the interior and exterior by solid marble columns with  splendid decorated capitals.

The towers are closed to the public.