Fortezza Vecchia

Fortezza Vecchia stands on the site from which Livorno’s first urban nucleus developed. Begun in 1519 to a design by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, it incorporates three bastions and fortifications from earlier periods.

Why it matters

Within one enclosure, the fortress brings together several chapters of Livorno’s history: a medieval tower associated with the early port, Pisan defenses, and the Renaissance works of the Medici period.

What to notice

The three bastions have distinct orientations: Ampolletta faces the city, Canaviglia the old port, and Capitana the northeast approach. Older structures include a square tower dated to about 1077, the keep known as Mastio di Matilde (about 1241), and remains of the Pisan Quadratura (about 1377). The association with Matilde di Canossa is traditional.

Context and history

The enclosure incorporated earlier fortifications into a Renaissance system of bastions. Later changes under the Medici and their successors reflect the port’s continuing strategic role.