The Arch of the Rose, also known as the Gate of Seville, is one of the gates of the walled enclosure of the Sevillian town of Marchena. Its current structure is the result of a 1430 reconstruction of the 13th-century late Almohad wall, partly funded by a papal bull.
This town suffered significant devastation over the centuries, particularly in 1368. The need to repair its defenses led Don Pedro Ponce de León, 5th Lord of Marchena, to promote the rebuilding of the walls, restoring the town's fortified character. This restoration was crucial, as the Mota Castle was chosen by the Catholic Monarchs and Don Rodrigo Ponce de León as a military operations center against the Kingdom of Granada in 1485.
Recently restored, the Arch of the Rose is an emblem of the city. Its peculiar name has two explanations: a popular legend and a historical one. The legend tells of a Moorish princess who threw roses from the wall to a Christian soldier, hence the name 'of the Rose'. Historically, the designation is attributed to the placement of a painting of the 'Virgin of the Rose'.
The gate, flanked by tall crenellated towers, features a horseshoe arch with stone voussoirs. It is believed that its current location is a result of reforms carried out after the papal bull, as the original 13th-century entrance might have been situated further inside, near the old San Juan neighborhood.
