Forte Spagnolo

Nestled in the heart of L'Aquila, Italy, the Forte Spagnolo, also known locally as Forte spagnolo, stands as a testament to the city's rich history and architectural prowess. This formidable fortress, constructed during the Spanish domination in the early 16th century, has never been used for military purposes. Instead, it has served various roles over the centuries, from a governor's residence to a barracks for French and Nazi soldiers. Today, it houses the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo, the most important museum in the region, and serves as a cultural hub for exhibitions, conferences, and more.

The Spanish Domination

In 1503, the Spanish conquered the Kingdom of Naples, placing a viceroy in charge and occupying all key positions of power. The appointment of Count Ludovico Franchi as Lord of the City marked the end of L'Aquila's autonomy, leading to its decline. In an attempt to regain their lost freedoms and privileges, the people of L'Aquila allied with the French-led anti-Spanish league, opening the city's gates to the French in 1527. However, the French were defeated in 1529, and L'Aquila was occupied by Filiberto d'Orange, the viceroy and lieutenant of the Kingdom of Naples. The city was looted and forced to pay a hefty tax to the Spanish coffers. Additionally, the city was detached from its surrounding territory, which was divided into fiefs and given to imperial army captains, dealing a severe blow to its economy.

The Castellina

In the same year, Filiberto d'Orange identified the highest point of the city walls in the northeast corner, where King Ladislaus I had built a fortress in 1401, and began constructing a small fortress known as La Castellina. Built to keep the citizens in check with a large garrison, La Castellina symbolized not only political and military oppression but also economic and social subjugation. Completed in 1530, it was a modest but massive bastioned structure housing a castellan and an imperial army garrison. However, it was soon to be replaced by a much larger fortress.

The Construction of Forte Spagnolo

In 1532, the new viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples, Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Zúñiga, decided to enhance the existing fortifications, making them more powerful and modern to withstand the evolving siege techniques and firearms. The most famous military architects of the time, mostly from Spain, were called upon to participate in this immense defensive project. The 1527 rebellion in favor of the French provided the Spanish with a pretext to impose the construction costs of the new castle entirely on the city, requiring an annual payment of 100,000 ducats. In 1534, the architect and army captain of Charles V, Pedro Luis Escrivà (Escribàs) of Valencia, was commissioned to design the project.

The construction required a vast area, leading to the destruction of an entire neighborhood. Even the city's bells, including the Great Bell of Justice on the Civic Tower, were melted down to create the fortress's enormous cannons. The viceroy intended the Forte to serve a dual purpose: as a defensive bulwark on the northernmost border of Charles V's kingdom and as a control point for wool traffic along the Naples-Florence route.

Decline and Subsequent Uses

Construction progressed rapidly until 1549, then slowed until 1567, when changing political conditions and the lifting of the construction burden from the city halted the work altogether, despite only the military functions of the structure being completed. Escrivà left direct supervision of the work in 1537 to move to Naples, where he was tasked with rebuilding Castel Sant'Elmo. He was replaced by Gian Girolamo Escrivà, likely a relative, who directed the work until 1541.

The Forte, never completed, was also never used by the Spanish in significant military actions, as the focus of the Spanish Empire shifted from the Mediterranean to Northern Europe and South America in the latter half of the 16th century. It was initially used as a residence by the Spanish governor and later as quarters for French troops following their invasion. It suffered significant damage during World War II when it was used by German occupation forces as a command center and prison.

Restoration and the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo

After World War II, the Forte was spared from being transformed into a prison and was transferred from the Defense Ministry to the Ministry of Public Education. Following its restoration in 1951 by the Superintendency of Monuments and Galleries of Abruzzo and Molise, it became the home of the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo and several other institutions, including the Aquilan Observatory, the National Institute of Geophysics, and the Aquilan Concert Society. It also became the headquarters of the Superintendency for Environmental, Architectural, Artistic, and Historical Heritage for Abruzzo (B.A.A.A.S.), establishing itself as a new social and cultural center for the city.

The Forte now houses an important auditorium, a conference room, and spaces for exhibitions and conferences. It suffered significant damage from the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake, particularly to the bridge over the moat and the upper floors.

Architectural Features

The imposing fortress, built following the most advanced fortification techniques of the time, has a square plan with massive bastions at each of the four corners, each pointing in the direction of the cardinal points. The Forte Spagnolo shares many similarities with the castles of Barletta and Copertino, which were also built during the reign of Charles V and presumably commissioned by the same viceroy of Naples, Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, though not by Escrivà but by the Copertine architect Evangelista Menga.

The Forte is surrounded by a deep and wide moat, which was never filled with water, and is accessible via a masonry bridge, once entirely made of partially retractable wood, destroyed in 1883 and replaced by the current stone bridge. The entrance portal, featuring the coat of arms of Charles V, is a masterpiece in its own right. The structure is surrounded by a large wooded park, the Parco del Castello, a true green lung for the city.

The Portal

The majestic white portal, flanked by Doric order pilasters and topped with a precious cornice featuring the double-headed eagle, emblem of the House of Austria, is considered an absolute masterpiece of its kind. To commemorate the events leading to the Forte's construction and to discourage future rebellions, it bears an inscription at the top.

The design of the portal is likely attributed to Escrivà, who replicated its features in the portal he created at Castel Sant'Elmo in Naples, albeit more modestly. The construction, however, was carried out by Aquilan sculptors Salvato Salvati and Pietro Di Stefano, a student of Salvato Romano, indicating a vibrant local tradition in sculpture established by Silvestro dell'Aquila and his circle.

The Bastions

The four bastions, a fundamental element in the structural design of the building, served as the primary positions for both offense and defense. Lanceolate in shape, they were constructed to withstand and deflect cannon fire. Each bastion was large and complex enough to resist assaults independently if the invader penetrated the central body. They were equipped with autonomous cisterns for water supply. Each bastion contains two large structures, the casemates, designed to protect men or artillery pieces and vaulted, with a circular opening for smoke ventilation. From the casemates, one can access the countermines, a series of tunnels built within the foundations of the structure to block enemy mines.

The Walls

The bastions are connected to the curtain walls via double projections, a unique feature of the structure and an important innovation in military architecture. This design improved the building's plasticity and doubled the number of gun ports, making the flanking fire more powerful and reducing the likelihood of enemy shots penetrating the interior due to their angle.

Each side of the construction, externally clad in travertine, measures 130 meters. Built on solid rock, the Forte Spagnolo is a remarkable example of Renaissance military architecture and a must-visit for anyone interested in history, architecture, or the enduring spirit of L'Aquila.