Forts of Rome

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The Forts of Rome are the complex of fixed works of military defense constituting the entrenched field of the city, consisting of fifteen "Prussian"-type forts and four hexagonal batteries. They were erected between 1877 and 1891 in defense of the strip of territory immediately surrounding the city of Rome (Italy), then in the countryside, at a distance of about 4–5 km from the Aurelian walls and about 2–3 km from each other, for an overall development of about 40 km (25 mi).

Contents

After some controversies about the project, the forts were commissioned by Royal Decree nr. 4007 of August 12, 1877. The first seven forts (Monte Mario, Braschi, Boccea, Aurelia Antica, Bravetta, Portuense and Appia Antica) were built starting from the same year 1877 on the right side of the Tiber (except for the Forte Appia Antica), as a defence against landings on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The construction of the remaining eight forts (Antenne, Ardeatina, Casilina, Ostiense, Pietralata, Prenestina, Tiburtina and Trionfale) began in 1880 thanks to new funds; by Royal Decree of November 1, 1882, they were named after the streets on which they stood.
The four batteries were built in an intermediate and set-back position: they were called Tevere (on the right bank of the river under Monte Mario), Appia Pignatelli, Porta Furba and Nomentana.

All the buildings soon fell into disuse, due both to their excessive closeness to the expanding city and to the evolution of the ballistic techniques and of the military strategies; by Royal Decree n. 2179 of October 9, 1919 they were removed from the list of the State fortifications and used as barracks and military depots. Later they ended up being incorporated into the urban fabric and, in some case, were delivered to the Municipality of Rome; however, some of them are currently unused or abandoned.

List

#FortYears of
construction
Surface
(ha)
MunicipioLocationDistance to the next one
(km)
Current usage
1Aurelia Antica1877-815,7 XII Via Aurelia Antica km 3, on the corner of Via di Bravetta2,0 Guardia di Finanza
2Boccea1877-817,3 XIII Via di Boccea km 11,5Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome
3Braschi1877-818,2 XIV Via della Pineta Sacchetti4,0 AISE and Raggruppamento unità difesa
4Monte Mario1877-828,4 I Via Trionfale km 3, on Monte Mario 2,0 Esercito Italiano
5Trionfale1882-8821,0 XIV Via Trionfale km 74,0Entrusted to tne Municipality of Rome
6Antenne1882-912,5 II Monte Antenne, at the confluence of Tiber and Aniene4,0Entrusted to tne Municipality of Rome
7Pietralata1881-8525,4 IV Via di Pietralata, close to the Aniene2,0Esercito Italiano
8Tiburtina1880-8423,8 IV Via Tiburtina km 42,0Esercito Italiano
9Prenestina1880-8413,4 V Via Prenestina km 43,0 Autonomous social center "CSOA Forte Prenestino"
10Casilina1881-823,8 V Via Casilina km 44,0Depot for the military area of the former Rome-Centocelle Airport
11Appia Antica1877-8016,5 VIII Via Appia Antica km 42,0 Aeronautica Militare
12Ardeatina1879-8211,2 VIII Via Ardeatina km 42,5Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome
13Ostiense1882-848,8 IX Via Ostiense km 42,5 Polizia di Stato
14Portuense1877-815,2 XI Via Portuense km 22,0Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome
15Bravetta1877-8310,6 XII Via di Bravetta, within the Valle dei Casali 2,0Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome

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