Belvedere del Marabutto

The Marabutto is a small former powder magazine overlooking the sea from the pine wood of Capo Sant’Ampelio in Bordighera. The building still contains three cannons, known by their traditional nicknames: “Butafoegu”, “Tiralogni” and “Cagastrasse”.

Why it matters

The Marabutto links Bordighera’s coastal setting with its military history. The municipal tourism portal identifies it as a former powder store and recounts that, in 1812, the cannons could not prevent an English landing by two frigates and a warship. The building is now a belvedere overlooking the sea.

What to notice

The compact structure and the three cannons are the site’s defining features. Their local nicknames remain part of the place’s character. From the belvedere, the view reaches across the Ligurian coast and toward the nearby church of Sant’Ampelio.

Context and history

The exact date and builder of the Marabutto are not established in the available historical accounts. Its former use as a powder magazine and its three cannons are recorded by the municipal tourism portal, which also notes a recent restoration. Local accounts describe it as part of the coastal defences; the 1812 landing is recalled as an episode in which the guns failed to stop the English force.