Bastione del Nuti

The Bastione del Nuti, also known as the Sangallo Bastion, is a sixteenth-century artillery fortification on Fano's eastern defences.

Why it matters

Designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, the bastion belongs to the first generation of artillery-resistant fortifications in Italy. Its survival preserves a major part of the papal programme to strengthen Fano against threats along the Adriatic coast.

What to notice

The pentagonal plan and brick walls are articulated with pale stone at the corners. The interior contains two levels, with artillery platforms above vaulted spaces that included a powder magazine. The sloping walls were designed to deflect incoming fire.

Context and history

Pope Clement VII commissioned a revision of Fano's defences in 1532, and the project was assigned to Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Work continued for more than two decades and was completed in 1552 under Julius III, with Luca da Sangallo involved in its later phase. The bastion later served as a powder magazine. It survived the demolition of much of the Malatestian curtain walls in the twentieth century and was restored for cultural use.