Forte Spagnolo means “The Spanish Fort”. It is a beautiful medieval castle, located in L’Aquila in the Abruzzo region. Forte Spagnolo was built in the sixteenth century, and is a popular tourist destination, which bring thousands of visitors every year from all over the world. If you are planning a trip to L’Aquila, so be sure to visit the castle and fortress.
In the fifteenth century the town of L’Aquila became one of the main cities in the kingdom of Naples and the rest of Italy. Both France and Spain fought to take control of the city. When the Spaniards gained control, a gigantic fortress was built on the highest point.
Forte Spagnolo was preventing revolts
The fort is unusual because it does not actually protect against outside attacks. The guns are pointing towards the city itself, in order to prevent a revolt. In the nineteenth and twentieth century it was used as a prison, but during The Second World War it was damaged.
[Not a valid template]Forte Spagnolo has a lot to offer
After extensive restoration, Fort Spagnolo is both a tourist destination and a fascinating museum. You can explore the area around the castle and towers or walk along the empty moat. The museum is three floors high and has a wide range of exhibits.
The ground floor is devoted to dinosaur skeletons found in L’Aquila in the past century, as well as artifacts from the nearby roman settlements. On the second floor is a collection of medieval art. Most of the works are painted by Italian artists. The last section of the museum houses contemporary art, which is conducted by Italian painters and sculptors.