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 Senigallia Fort 

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'The fortress as it appears today is the product of an evolutionary process that occurred over the centuries.

Since the Roman colonization occurred approximately in 290 BC Roman colonists felt the need to fortify Senigallia, and given the shape of the place they decided to protect the city from possible dangers from the sea, in fact, a fortified tower built between the city and the sea. The tower stood in fact in a particularly protected from the river Misa and the river Penna, now closed.

The first building consisted of a single tower with a square base made ​​up of blocks of sandstone and tuff, which was later incorporated as an ' additional medieval tower , made of limestone spongy , worked in big rectangular ashlar blocks , some of which have now eroded , but on the whole very well preserved , as it is also incorporated into the subsequent restructuring that have protected it from the erosive action of atmospheric agents.

In 1350 following the change of the papal residence from Avignon to Rome, the Spanish Cardinal Albornoz was commissioned to consolidate the papal power in central Italy, then the State of the Church, building numerous forts including the stronghold of Senigallia.

When the Malatesta family in 1379 acquired the territories of Senigallia to resume the work already begun by Albornoz fortress. The rebirth of the city is marked in the course of the fifteenth century by two moments of great importance : the rule of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, around the middle of the century, and that of Giovanni della Rovere who, starting in 1474 gives rise to a power family will last without interruption until 1631. Sigismondo Malatesta decided to rebuild and repopulate an area far from ideal as that of Senigallia because he wanted to expand his territories as lord of Rimini and Fano. The area he chooses because of the presence of salt, it is highly unhealthy and unsuitable for urbanization.Bold text

Then work will begin rehabilitation and reclamation materialized only in 1479 with the creation of the " ditch grando to dry water," De Christoforo work entrusted to Mantua The repopulation of the city as quick as the construction of a fortified wall, manufactured with the contribution of men and materials from all the possessions Malatesta , and are provided here to expand and strengthen the Rocchetta Albornoz. The absence of Sigismund from Senigallia as this was never fixed his residence contributes to population growth, economic and construction of the city, but at the same time a citizen discontent. For this reason, the citizens welcomed the transfer of power from the Malatesta family to the Della Rovere.

The luck of the Della Rovere begins with the ascent to the papacy by Francesco Della Rovere which takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV. He, in fact within a few years, he manages to marry her grandchildren with important figures of the time: in particular does marry John Della Rovere with Giovanna da Montefeltro, daughter of Frederick that the pope appointed on that occasion the Duke of Urbino , then gives John the territory of Senigallia. After the assumption of office of the prefect of Rome, and the investiture of the duchy of Sora, the new lord of Senigallia will face a number of problems including the recovery of the salt and the question of defense. In the same year, in 1478 , Luciano Laurana designs and follows the construction of the drawbridge that connects the fortress to the square. The architect is faced with a design problem, on the one hand, it is advantageous to build a solid tower fortress on Roman foundations , Albornozian Malatesta , but on the other hand from the design point of view it is difficult to combine the new requirements to the existing structure , in fact, the new Projects must contain a property for the militias responsible for its defense and an apartment, that in case of necessity had to accommodate the ladies. Laurana resolves the issue of the embankment of the square and one of the underground tunnels that cross, which, in case of necessity had to allow the connection between the rock and the front of the ducal palace. The same designs and manufactures the ducal apartment inside the fortification obtained also cropping the tower Malatesta. This, was completed in 1479, a fact testified dall'apposizione coats of arms , finishing work.

After the death of Lovran, is called kiss Pontelli, to whom we owe the four towers surrounding the central body making the fortress unique. The implementation of the stunning rock occurred in only two years, as the threat " of the turkish " became more and more real. Inside and outside the fort, in the embrasures , at lintels , jambs , are continuously repeated the slogans "I DUX - IO PRE" , indicating that they were " John Duke of Sora - John prefect of Rome."

Failed the occasional residential use that the fortress was in the age ducal, the prevalent use as a prison established in the papal age was continued even in the post unit. From existing historical documents and photographs show that the fortress of Senigallia was united to the fate of other architectures military or religious acquired the demesne of the state after the unification of Italy.

The building, of which the most damage in the earthquake of 1897 and then to 1930 , was used as the first home of the sentence , which still preserve the testimonies of prisoners through writings and drawings on the walls , leave visible during the restoration and then leased to the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Protectorate , to " shelter and care for abandoned children " , hosting war orphans, children of prisoners , etc. . The fortress , which recognized the important historical and artistic interest , is considered a useful and large container adibirsi to undifferentiated functions of public utilities of the city or storage of household goods of various natures and tele situation is repeated , albeit with specific variants related to different historical periods, up to the second World War.

So after the departure of the nuns and the taking over of the Superintendent, alternate proposals of uses and uses quotas related to the war period , such as warehouses kinds of subsistence military , bomb shelters , warehouses or casermaggi , to propose features such as domicile of the Bundle and barracks for Young Fascists , but also the public library in the rooms of the second floor. In addition to a variety of uses proposed in the Second World War (home to evicted, home of the National Retired Officers , storage for fishing materials , youth ... ) that continue to identify the building only as a function of the contingent needs and tourism activities and commercial city , you begin to identify specific use of cultural.

In 1947, the City proposes you can put a set of cultural institutions ( art gallery, library ... ) and in 1953 as a result of discoveries of primitive structures are suspended work in progress for more in-depth assessments of the construction phases of the building.

In the '60s formed a committee for the enhancement of the historic buildings of the city and complains the partial opening of the public building, whose global use continues to be compromised by the poor state of preservation of the complex and the progress of the restoration works, in turn is often slowed by insufficient financial resources, and the presence of materials in storage and site activity still varies in it.

It is increasingly clear, especially in light of the best reinterpretation of the building , made possible by the restoration , the castle and the surrounding Vallato must be preserved and used in their natural monumental arrangement , and that the destination museum is the most appropriate to ensure that the rock can make more explicit the role of the document in the history of the city, the Della Rovere family and herself. descriptionBold text

Roveresca La Rocca is the most important monument of Senigallia, and like all medieval fortresses, it may seem , from the outside , a simple and regular. Its complexity takes shape on the inside, where the location of the space is labyrinthine and at a superficial glance, even poorly designed. Its present structure is due to the will of Giovanni della Rovere, Lord of the city from 1474 to 1501. He was the son of Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, which he put at the disposal of the best architects of the time. The work was initially entrusted to Luciano Laurana, who designed the residential part of the fortress and drawbridge that connected Directly opposite the square. The work was then entrusted to Baccio Pontelli that surrounded the residential part with the real defensive structure, to form a quadrilateral whose corners are located at the four massive round towers , which are connected with each other and with the central body , as an organic system of communication, vertical and horizontal. The apparent irregularity of the interior spaces and routes is thus a reality desired and sought by the same Pontelli, with the aim to create a sense of disorientation. The monument is therefore divided into two fortresses, one incorporated into another: the central body, intended to stately home surrounded by construction intended for military defense. This is what distinguishes the fortress Senigallia, unique in its kind. The great architectural complex is the result of renovations have occurred over the centuries from the first defensive tower from Roman times. The courtyard allows for a reading of the four main phases experienced by the Rocca, the first of the third century BC , the second of the fourteenth century , and the third half of the fifteenth century , the fourth of the eighties of the fifteenth century. These include the restructuring Renaissance predominates over the others. The courtyard is functionally connecting element between the input from the outside, which leads through the drawbridge, the residential part and the military. This courtyard is typically century since it was renovated in period Rovere to fulfill the dual-use yard barracks and courtyard residence with a well decentralized typical of the Renaissance, however it retains remarkable remains of previous constructions. Originally, it was also a passage that connected the courtyard with the underlying layer, ensuring greater communication and ventilation. Opposite the main entrance we can see a wall of the tower on which you read all the architectural history of the fortress : the Roman base, the continuation of the Rocchetta fourteenth century , due to the work of Cardinal Albornoz in 1350 , before the fifteenth century fortress , made build a century later by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Rovere to the signs of age , which is to cut at the top of the male in previous constructions , in response to new needs due to the introduction of artillery. This part of the fortress, the result of many changes have occurred over time , clearly indicates that the area on which it stands has always been considered a strategic point of the city for the construction of a fort that constitute the core of the defense works. The wall with the arches that you see on the right side of the courtyard is part of the curtain fourteenth century, though they were strengthened when it became necessary to the expansion of the section of the defensive wall to make plans for moving the artillery , masonry , which replaced the wooden walkways. The water collection tank, located next to the well -century dates from the fourteenth century. It is circular with a vertical slope slightly to the pine cone. Its place of exceptional beauty and functionality allows us to state that over the centuries the current court was always intended to free space, more or less wide, surrounded by defensive walls. A similar thing can be said for entry : it in all the buildings have maintained the same position, as evidenced by the performance of the defensive walls of the rocks above. At the top of the main building there are four towers. The " town chronicles " Quattrocento tell us that the first tower to be built is at sea, north to Fano , the second , the one sea to the east towards Ancona , third, and west towards the front of the square and the last south built by the military architect Baccio Pontelli. The sequence of construction reveals that the most threatening dangers Senigallia at the end of the fifteenth century were considered those that could come from the sea, which is particularly true during periods of construction of the fortress Rovere, when the incursions of the Turks threatened the entire Adriatic coast. This is also evidenced by the presence in the north-east side of the fortress, to the sea, a few openings and a single door that can be opened only from the inside , built later. The towers, despite appearances are all different in size and doing the rounds of the terrace, you can see how they were built to defend the central part of the fortress, once again highlighting the originality of this monument which shows , in effect, as the rocks are two , one is completely incorporated into the other. Through the glass of the structure positioned to defend the work of restoration, you can see the battlements of the fortress before the fifteenth century and the architectural structures that allowed the mobility of the drawbridge. Looking out from one of the towers in the sea you can imagine what was the best defensive potential of the fortress. Its massive structure was surrounded by a moat full of water, whose release was regulated by a system of doors and contained by a wall, roughly circular, as shown by ancient designs. All around the terrace are visible loopholes with the word DUX IO -IO PRE and, outside, the grand culmination of brackets in white Istrian stone , which is a nice contrast with the baked brick used for the entire building. With regard to the internal structure, the residential area is spread over three floors, served by a staircase with two flights , with access from the courtyard. The lower level was used as the garrison and the housing for the officers of the militia, responsible for the defense of the fortress. Down the hall terminal of this apartment is still possible a reinterpretation of the phases of construction and renovation of the fortress : the fourteenth century, the Malatesta of which you can catch a glimpse of the spur below the grate , and Della Rovere. The superior rooms ( three shows ) were reserved for the representation and the residence of the Duke. The mail room on the floor of the terrace is part of the area designated by the Giovanni oak residence of his court in times of emergency. In fact, at the same time in these apartments, he initiated the building of a real palace, now destroyed of which only a beautiful emblem, presented in a simplified manner the second floor of this building. The coat of arms of John Della Rovere which consists of a sphinx without wings topped by seven snakes and placed over a crest, was also depicted in a bas-relief located on the south tower. This room was one of three reception rooms, those in which they could be carried out of the court and the parties of which this is only visible today. The venue was intended to chapel, presumably in Roman Pontifical , when the fortress was used as a prison. Through the main staircase of the surface to residence, you enter the real apartment Duke. The environment is extremely simple, given the very limited space as this was considered to be a residence for times of emergency. You can see in this room capitals finely crafted, and on the right of the entrance , the two that do not depict the winged sphinx , the symbol of John Della Rovere. Here, too, appear the written DUX IO -IO PRE major titles that relate to the Della Rovere had : that of the Duke of Sora and the Prefect of Rome. Even marriage with Giovanna da Montefeltro involved the acquisition, in the arms of the Della Rovere, the so-called " fourth of kinship ", ie the bands of blue and gold with the Aquiletta Montefeltresca of the family. These coats of arms are placed at the

center of the vaulted ceiling of this apartment and, depending on whether or not you appear the coat of arms Montefeltro can be traced back to their dating. In fact, before 1478, the date of marriage , we find nell'arme Rovere two oaks , one of which would be replaced by the bands of Urbino. The motif of oak leaves and acorns is present on the frames of doors and windows. Of particular interest is the chapel of the apartment : it is a quadrilateral surmounted by a dome. Notable is the solution of the roundness of the corners of the walls by plaster which gives the chapel a harmonious appearance. The barn was a local service of a residential area, mainly characterized by the presence of a large tank probably intended to contain the grain needed for supplies to those who resided in the fortress especially in case of siege. In the basement are located in a local square cells for prisoners. These prisons were obtained from narrow places probably originally structured to be gunner. They are real dying cells, as can be seen from the small vents that allowed more than survival, a slow agony. You can not specify when the transformation occurred gunboat in cells, probably when the fortress was used as a prison. From the path to access the upper floor you can see the ancient Roman defense tower built with limestone spongy worked in large rectangular ashlar blocks, some of which are corroded but on the whole very well preserved , as the tower was incorporated into the subsequent restructuring that ' are protected from the corrosive action of the weather. To connect these environments was built a beautiful spiral staircase but never used it. This is confirmed by the lack of protection works that were supposed to mitigate the danger of steep steps monolithic. There are, in fact, never been found traces of a railing. The whole made ​​of white Istrian stone, it is undoubtedly the most precious piece of the structure is from the stylistic point of view and from that of engineering. bibliography.

References Bonvini Marinella Mazzanti, Poetere and "res aedificatoria ." History of the square and the palace of the Duke in Senigallia, Tecnostampa editions , 1996.

Bonvini Marinella Mazzanti, Senigallia, Quattroventi editions , 1998.

Ministry for Cultural and Environmental Heritage, The Della Rovere and the Rocca di Senigallia between history and restoration , graphics Nanni , 1995.

George Domenici, Hector Guglielmi , Luciano Lunazzi , Gianfranco Nardinocch i, Fausto Pugnaloni Sterlini Silvia , Paul Agostinelli Taus and Marcello , Emergencies, empty the limits of the historical city Senigallia, Clua , 1989.

Ministry of Cultural and Environmental Heritage, La Rocca Roveresca