Fortress of the Verruca,Calci,(PI) Tuscany, Italy. Coordinates: 43 ° 42 25.8 N 10 ° 32 01.9 (see map) The Fortress of the wart is an ancient and crumbling fortification erected by the Republic of Pisa on the Pisas moumtains, placed in a position to dominate the entire plain of Pisa and the Arno valley. Theater of bloody battles between Pisa and Florence, was repeatedly stronghold of the first when the town had fallen to the enemy. The site was already occupied by a fortress from 780, but the fortress proper was built only in the thirteenth century, and survived as military structure active until the final fall of Pisa in 1503. The latest structures to be constructed, in view of the last decisive battle against the Florentines, were the four angular towers, two eastern of large size and two western smaller, with slits and crossbow. In 1509, however, the fortress was rebuilt by Antonio da Sangallo to which are attributed the two bastions polygonal and Luca of the goats, the bottega del Francione, which are given the large cylindrical tower on one edge of the perimeter. The fortress was later divested lacking its position of border and then its usefulness defensive. The structure of the fortress had a crucial importance for the Republic of Pisa eternally at war with Florence. The castle was the nucleus of a system of fortifications scattered over the surrounding territory, among which we can list the castles of Caprona, Vicopisano and Buti. Communications between these outposts and the rocca, as well as those between the fortress and the town of Pisa intermarry with sheets, banners, smoke, fires or artillery strikes through a code that allowed to inform abruptly on the movements of the enemy troops approaching. In the event of poor visibility the signal was passed through the various towers located on the monti pisani: the Tower of the gushing, the Castellare in Asciano, the castle of Agnano, the castle of San Giuliano.
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 14:43:17 +0000
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