Gate of the Virgin (Panagia)

The Gate of the Virgin (Panagia) pierces the sea-wall of the main harbour (Sachtouri Waterfront) in the section protecting the old Jewish Quarter rebuilt by grand master Orsini (1467-76). The construction of the new wall was probably supervised by Pierre d'Aubusson, who had experience in engineering and eventually succeeded him as master. This is a high but thin curtain (a mere 1,75 metres); it was protected by an advance-wall now for the most part destroyed by the construction of the coastal road. This kind of fortification, already dated at that time, is explained by the fact that powerful towers and bulwarks (the Naillac Tower and the Tower of the Windmills) faced each other at the entrance of the harbour and their firepower made attack on the sea-wall impracticable.

The Gate of the Virgin is modern (1955), located 135 metres west of the medieval Gate of St. Catherine,  and the counterpart of the Acandia Gate opened by the Italians in 1935: the objective was to facilitate car access to the medieval town from the docks of the main harbour  and the bay of Acandia, and also provide a shortcut for drivers on the coastal road wishing to avoid the Customs area. This shortcut, which crossed the east part of the medieval town (Alhadeff  St.), ran across the ruins of Santa Maria del Borgo, one of the most important Latin churches of the Hospitaller period; it is the presence of this church that has given its name to the gate.

Changes in local conditions and increased sensitivity concerning historic monuments led to the showcasing of the venerable ruin in 1997-8 and the pedestrianization of Alhadeff St. Thus, the Gate of the Virgin nowadays serves only the inhabitants, those who work in the medieval town and the passengers of cruise ships disembarking at the Mole of the Windmills.