The mighty sixteenth-century fortress dominating the centre
On the highest point of L'Aquila, at the north-eastern edge of the historic centre, stands the Forte Spagnolo, also called the Castello Cinquecentesco, one of the most impressive examples of Renaissance military architecture in Italy. It was built from 1534 by order of the Spanish viceroy of Naples, Don Pedro de Toledo, on a design by the military engineer Pedro Luis Escrivá, after L'Aquila had rebelled against Spanish rule: rather than defending the city, the fortress served to control it, and the cost of construction was imposed on the inhabitants themselves as a punishment. Its square plan, with four massive bastions with pointed corners at the corners, walls up to 30 metres thick at the base and a deep moat, which was never filled with water, made it practically impregnable, and in fact it was never attacked.
The fortress is surrounded by a large public park, a favourite place for the walks of the Aquilani, and the entrance is via a bridge over the moat and a monumental portal with the coat of arms of Charles V. For decades, the castle housed the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo, with works of art from the whole region, from sacred wooden sculptures to paintings and goldsmith's works. After the earthquake of 2009, which seriously damaged it, the fortress underwent a long restoration, and the museum collections were moved to a new venue, the MuNDA, in the former slaughterhouse near the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle. The view from the bastions over the city and the Gran Sasso is splendid.
Tip: walk around the moat in the park; check which parts of the fort are open, as the restoration is still under way.
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