Porta Tosa (later Porta Vittoria) is demolished. It was one of the 11 gates in Milan’s Spanish walls, and opened the road to the East. It was named after a medieval bas-relief now on display at the Sforza Castle Museum of Ancient Art. The bas-relief was positioned above the arch of the gate and depicts a woman with her legs spread, about to shave her pubic area. This gesture was the punishment women accused of adultery or prostitution had to serve. There are, however, several legends surrounding the bas-relief, although two are particularly well-remembered. The first dates back to 1162, when Milan was besieged by Frederick Barbarossa’s troops, and a young girl, it is said, to distract the enemy, stepped out onto the balcony and began shaving her pubic area. The second, however, is said to be the result of revenge: after Barbarossa razed Milan to the ground, some citizens went to the Empress of Constantinople to ask for help, but she was denied. And so, reacting with style and grace, they dedicated an image of her to one of the main gates of the city, labeling her a prostitute. Did you understand the story?
