Fortezza Medicea (Siena)

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Panorama of the Fortezza Medicea fortress with the southeastern tip of Bastione San Domencio

The Fortezza Medicea in Siena (also known as Forte Santa Barbara ) is a fortress built between 1561 and 1563 on the orders of the Florentine Duke Cosimo I de 'Medici . It is located on the north-western edge of the historic old town in the immediate vicinity of the Basilica di San Domenico and the Artemio Franchi stadium of the local soccer club Robur Siena (formerly AC Siena).

history

The barracks seen from the courtyard
The amphitheater, in the background the barracks
The amphitheater seen from the courtyard

The fortress was built on the site where the monastery Monastero cistercense di San Prospero the Cistercians stood from 1181 to 1526 and which was destroyed in the battle of Battaglia di Camollia in 1526 in the conflict between Siena and Florence . As early as 1548, Emperor Charles V had a fortress built on almost the same site, which was supposed to keep Siena under Spanish control. Its northern tip was about 250 m northeast of today's entrance area behind today's Palace of Justice. However, from July 26, 1552, the Sienese rose against the occupiers, who fled to the citadel and were besieged there. After negotiations, the Spanish left the city on August 5th through the Porta Camollia . Almost immediately after the Spaniards left, the Senese began demolishing the facility.

After the Battle of Marciano near Marciano della Chiana (also called Battaglia di Scannagallo ) in 1554 sealed the final defeat of the Republic of Siena against its old arch rival Florence and Siena surrendered to the Spanish and Tuscan troops on April 21, 1555 after more than a year of siege although a remnant of the Republic of Siena continued the resistance with French help from Montalcino , the city itself remained under Spanish rule. The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis between Spain and France finally brought the republic to an end, and Siena finally fell to Florence.

In order to prevent the Sienese from regaining their independence, the Duke ordered the construction of a new fortress in 1561 just south of the site of the Spanish fortress, which was torn down in 1552. The construction work was led by Cosimo's architect Baldassare Lanci from Urbino , who had started his career as a military architect . After only two years of construction, the work was completed in 1563.

Its military use as a fortification was given up in 1778, and after extensive restoration in 1937 it was given a new purpose as a public park, which it still fulfills today. During this time, the architect Virgilio Marchi created the so-called Anfiteatro ( amphitheater ). The building near the entrance area was created in 1887 by the architect Augusto Corbi and was initially used by the military administration and later as a barracks (Caserma di Santa Barbara). Today it houses the Accademia Nazionale del Jazz (Siena Jazz). Events and concerts are also held in the courtyard of the fortress, and the fortifications are home to a large enoteca with wines from all over Italy. Until 1920 the fortress or its Bastione San Domenico was connected to the city ​​walls , which ran parallel to Viale dei Mille, at the Basilica di San Domenico. The part of the city wall was then removed in order to be able to cross Viale XV. Aprile to enable access to the newly developed San Prospero residential area.

Building design

The fortifications form a rectangle aligned with the long side in a southwest-northeast direction and are about 125 × 180 m in size on the inside. They are provided with a bastion at every corner in the New Italian style, the walls are made of bricks with decorations of carved stone. From the top of the bastion to the top of the bastion, the system measures around 270 × 200 m, the walls have a total circumference of around 1500 m. The walls are around 20 m thick and 13 to 14 m high. The two northern bastion points bear the Medici coat of arms, the two southern ones show a lion's head. All four bastion points bear the names of saints. The Bastione San Filippo is in the northwest, the Bastione San Francesco (also Bastione dell'Amore) in the northeast, the Bastione di San Domenico in the southeast and the Bastione della Madonna in the southwest.

  • The bastions of the Fortezza Medicea of ​​Siena

  • Bastion point of the Bastione San Filippo

  • Bastion point of the Bastione San Francesco (dell'Amore)

  • Bastion point of the Bastione della Madonna

  • Bastion point of the Bastione San Domenico

The main entrance is on the northeast side. The walls are now provided with parks, planted with trees and u. a. popular as a jogging track.

Outdoor facilities

On the southeast side there is a bronze statue of St. Catherine of Siena , which looks a few hundred meters further to the southeast in the direction of the Basilica di San Domenico, where some of her relics are located. To the south of the fortress is the Parco della Rimembranza park , in which there is the Fontana di San Prospero fountain . To the north of the fortress, near the entrance area, is the La Lizza park with the monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi.

  • Exterior of the Fortezza Medicea of ​​Siena

  • The statue of Saint Catherine of Siena in front of the fortress

  • The statue of Saint Catherine of Siena facing the city

  • The Fontana di San Prospero fountain in the Parco della Rimembranza park below the fortress

literature

Web links

Commons : Fortezza Medicea  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Touring Club Italiano: Toscana.
  2. ↑ Website of the Cistercians , accessed on April 16, 2019 (Italian)
  3. ↑ Ettore Pellegrini: La fortezza imperiale. P. 174.
  4. ↑ Ettore Pellegrini: La fortezza imperiale. P. 171.
  5. ↑ Ettore Pellegrini: La fortezza imperiale. P. 172.
  6. ↑ a b c d e Alberto Fiorini: Fortezza Medicea . In: Strade di Siena. Pacini Editore, Pisa 2017, ISBN 978-88-6995-211-1 , p. 201 ff.
  7. ↑ Siena Jazz website , accessed April 16, 2019 (Italian)
  8. ^ Alberto Fiorini: Mille (Viale dei) . In: Strade di Siena. Pacini Editore, Pisa 2017, ISBN 978-88-6995-211-1 , p. 289.
  9. ^ Alberto Fiorini: Venticinque Aprile (Viale) . In: Strade di Siena. Pacini Editore, Pisa 2017, ISBN 978-88-6995-211-1 , p. 568 ff.
  10. ↑ a b Enjoy Siena. Website of the city of Siena
  11. ^ Piero Torriti: Tutta Siena. Contrada per Contrada. Bonechi Edizioni, Florence 2004, p. 279

Coordinates: 43 ° 19 ′ 20 ″  N , 11 ° 19 ′ 23.9 ″  E