It takes its name from the nearby tower (Dojon) with which it formed a fortified complex, already the episcopal seat, at the northeastern corner of the ancient walls.
The inner arch was raised in 1289 by Vecello da Cusighe for the bishop-count Adalgerio da Vili alta: this intervention, part of the general refurbishment of the wall curtain made necessary after the decline of Ezzelino da Romano's rule, is documented by a stone plaque, embedded above the arch, which bears the oldest reproduction of the city coat of arms. The Renaissance doubling is the work of Niccolò Tagliapietra and was completed in 1553. The connecting cover between the new and old gate was decided and executed in 1622. The original wooden doors are still, according to tradition, those redone after the imperial siege of 1509. The original Venetian lion was chiselled away by the Jacobins in May 1797. In its place, at the end of the 19th century, the 15th-century example that originally adorned the first arch and had remained embedded by the 17th-century covering, which fortuitously kept it from the view of the Napoleonic sculptors, was inserted. The gate has undergone a very recent, meticulous restoration. Learn more about the “speaking walls” of Porta Dojona by clicking here.
