Florian's Gate was built in the first half of the 15th century as part of the new walls on the western side of the town, along which another street was created - Bastion Street.
Florian's Gate was probably first rebuilt in 1673or in the following year, by order of the imperial commander of the city, who had to have all the destroyed parts of the walls rebuilt for fear of the rebels. In view of development of combat technology the gate was rebuilt into complete bastion with a massive cannon bastion with spaces filled with earth.
Another important reconstruction of the gate took place in the 2nd half of the 18th century, when it was the main city canal was abolished and replaced by a passageway with a mounded vault. At the same time the gate was raised and it was its façade is also modified. An even more extensive reconstruction of the gate took place in 1808. At that time it was already completely its defensive character abolished. With the two adjacent parts of the rampart wall was adapted for the purposes of the newly established municipal hospital, which was mostly contributed by the town doctor Samuel Krieger. He raised funds for the hospital through charity collections at social events of Prešov citizens and theatre performances of Prešov amateur actors.
After the completion of the rebuilding, directly above the gate passage was placed Chapel of St. Florian. An entrance portal was created on the eastern façade, both windows on the first floor were enlarged and the whole façade was finished with a large volute gable. However, the enlargement of the windows damaged the original Latin inscription as well as the mural depicting St Florian. In 1915 this painting was almost completely destroyed and replaced by a new image of the saint, executed by the Prešov painter Max Kurth (1869-1962). He depicted St. Florian in a typical iconographic rendering, i.e. with a military helmet, with a banner while extinguishing a fire, with silhouettes of the parish and Franciscan churches in the background, as well as the building of the Evangelical College. The whole composition of the work is all the more interesting because the author created it according to an old Baroque graphic pattern.
The last extensive reconstruction of Florian's Gate in 1979 the vaulted arch of the passage was modified, the windows on the eastern facade were reduced to their original dimensions and the necessary renovation of the entire decoration was carried out.
In 1973, a commemorative plaque was unveiled on the western façade, marking the original site of the 17th-century Prešov City Observatory.
Source: Švorc, P.: Guide to Historical Prešov. Universum. 2006. Prešov. ISBN 80-89046-35-5.
