Il 20 settembre 1870 le truppe del regno appena unificato italiano violarono le mura di Roma e la fecero la capitale, terminando oltre 1000 anni di potere temporale dei papi.

The Breach of Porta Pia happened in 1870, shortly after the withdrawal of the French troops that protected the Pope and which were recalled as a consequence of the defeat of Napoleon III at Sedan and the end of the French Empire.

Due to a threat of excommunication by the Pope, Catholic troops were hesitant to make the first move and risk excommunication, the first shot was shot by a Jewish brigadier, Giacomo Segre.

The Pope Pious IX issued an order not to oppose the capture of Rome in the hope of appearing as the victim and elicit a reaction from the remaining Catholic powers, especially the Austrian Empire.

The City of Rome was declared part of the Kingdom and its capital on 2nd October, except the land on Vatican hill and Castel Sant’Angelo.

After the capture, the Pope declared himself a prisoner and issued an excommunication against all Italians who would get involved in the politics of the Kingdom, which lasted until 1929, when Mussolini and the Pope signed the Lateran pacts to normalise relations.