If you like discovering mystery and mystic traces in a city, Rome will satisfy your curiosity. The Porta Alchemica (Alchemy Gate) is an evidence of a past of experiments and secret formulas for the initiated. The gate is also known as Porta Magica or Porta Ermetica, is located at the centre of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and decorated with alchemical-hermetic inscriptions.

The monument used to be part of Villa Palombara, which belonged to Massimo Palombara marquis of Pietraforte, and was erected between 1655 and 1680. After the villa was destroyed during the 19th century the gate was moved behind the nymphaeum in Piazza Vittorio and surrounded by railings.

It is the only surviving exemplar of the 5 original gates of the villa. Its structure presents a white stone jamb decorated with enigmatic alchemical symbols and, beside it, there are two statues of the Egyptian god Bes coming from the Quirinale.