Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
The Fort is a historic fortress of Gavi type purely defensive built on an old medieval castle. It is state property and is used as a museum . It is located in the Piedmont town of Gavi, along the way Postojna that connected the Republic of Genoa to the Southern Piedmont (Monferrato ) and Lombardy . Since 1946 is delivered to the Ministry of Culture that is responsible for maintenance and promotion by the Superintendence for Architectural Heritage and Landscape of Piedmont. Since 2007, the Association of Friends of Forte di Gavi collaborate in promoting and enhancing the Superintendent said . Inside the fortress , which is inserted in the " Open Castles " , held periodically costumed historical re-enactments , lectures, debates and photographic and painting exhibitions . It is in the process of defining the project for the use of the structure for various art shows , music and theater . The fort stands on a natural rock overlooking the ancient village of Gavi. It was created by incorporating a pre-existing castle built , according to legend , at the time of the Saracen occupation and the Hungarian princess Gavia (or Gavina ) that in that locality had established his residence. According to legend, the princess was of French origin, so much so that even today the track leading to the fort, rising from the village , bears the name of Monserito ( by mon cheri ) . Out of the legend , it is difficult to establish with certainty - due to the lack of documentary evidence - the date of construction of the original castle though scholars do not exclude that in antiquity there was in that place a fortification of pre-Roman times . The first act that testifies to the existence of the castle is a notarized document from the year 973 . A subsequent imperial diploma signed by Henry VI of Swabia, son of Frederick Barbarossa, confirmation - on the date of 30 May 1191- the donation as a fief to the Republic of Genoa, both the castle and the nearby village of Gavi. The castle remained in the hands of the Genoese , albeit with ups and downs , at least up to 1418 when it passed first to the Signoria of the Visconti of Milan , then to the Fregoso and finally to the Alexandrian Guasco , Lords of Francavilla . The Guasco were lords of Gavi until 1528 : in that year the castle was sold again to the Republic of Genoa to coin minted by the Banco di San Giorgio ( thousand places the agreed amount ) . Only in the Napoleonic era , Genoa - which served as a defense outpost Oltregiogo advanced beyond the Ligurian Apennines - was forced to give up what had become a fortress Gavi . Over the centuries, the transformation from a strong castle has been slow but steady : the first radical surgery on the original structure were made in 1540 by the military in the service of the Republic Giovanni Maria Olgiati . The next project started in 1626 ( and completed three years later) by Fray Gaspar said Maculano between Fiorenzuola , which operated in collaboration with the Genoese architect Bartolomeo Bianco , endowed the structure of six impregnable bastions said St. Mary , St. John's Evangelista , Crescent , St. Bernard , St. Thomas ( or word of mouth ) and St. Anthony (or of the Banner ) , joined together by strong barrages of armed gunboats . They date back to 1673 , the fortifications on the hill next door ( Reduced Monte Moro). Subject of the expansionist ambitions of the rulers of Savoy , the fort underwent several sieges of Gavi : he was attacked and conquered for the first time in 1625 by the forces of Franco- Savoyard . Recaptured by the Genoese after only twenty-one days , it was decided at the end of the war the transformation into a fortress , more adequate to withstand the artillery of the time (between Fiorenzuola project). Attacked again in 1746 by the Austrians (see Portoria and Giovan Battista Perasso), surrendered at the request of the same Genoa. In 1799 , after the battle of Novi , remained one of the few strongholds still in the hands of the French. Passed to France in 1804, was finally attributed to the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 . Decommissioned in 1859 , the fort was turned into a prison civil . During the Second World War it was later used as a prison camp for officers in the Anglo- Americans. At the end of the conflict remained abandoned until 1978 , when he started on the restoration project . The life led by soldiers inside the fort has always been rather spartan and marked by tough guard duty. To preside over the control were two key figures: the castle, which was entitled decisions of major importance, and the Munizioniere, in charge of the supply of weapons and food.
The Fort is a historic fortress of Gavi type purely defensive built on an old medieval castle. It is state property and is used as a museum . It is located in the Piedmont town of Gavi, along the way Postojna that connected the Republic of Genoa to the Southern Piedmont (Monferrato ) and Lombardy . Since 1946 is delivered to the Ministry of Culture that is responsible for maintenance and promotion by the Superintendence for Architectural Heritage and Landscape of Piedmont. Since 2007, the Association of Friends of Forte di Gavi collaborate in promoting and enhancing the Superintendent said . Inside the fortress , which is inserted in the " Open Castles " , held periodically costumed historical re-enactments , lectures, debates and photographic and painting exhibitions . It is in the process of defining the project for the use of the structure for various art shows , music and theater . The fort stands on a natural rock overlooking the ancient village of Gavi. It was created by incorporating a pre-existing castle built , according to legend , at the time of the Saracen occupation and the Hungarian princess Gavia (or Gavina ) that in that locality had established his residence. According to legend, the princess was of French origin, so much so that even today the track leading to the fort, rising from the village , bears the name of Monserito ( by mon cheri ) . Out of the legend , it is difficult to establish with certainty - due to the lack of documentary evidence - the date of construction of the original castle though scholars do not exclude that in antiquity there was in that place a fortification of pre-Roman times . The first act that testifies to the existence of the castle is a notarized document from the year 973 . A subsequent imperial diploma signed by Henry VI of Swabia, son of Frederick Barbarossa, confirmation - on the date of 30 May 1191- the donation as a fief to the Republic of Genoa, both the castle and the nearby village of Gavi. The castle remained in the hands of the Genoese , albeit with ups and downs , at least up to 1418 when it passed first to the Signoria of the Visconti of Milan , then to the Fregoso and finally to the Alexandrian Guasco , Lords of Francavilla . The Guasco were lords of Gavi until 1528 : in that year the castle was sold again to the Republic of Genoa to coin minted by the Banco di San Giorgio ( thousand places the agreed amount ) . Only in the Napoleonic era , Genoa - which served as a defense outpost Oltregiogo advanced beyond the Ligurian Apennines - was forced to give up what had become a fortress Gavi . Over the centuries, the transformation from a strong castle has been slow but steady : the first radical surgery on the original structure were made in 1540 by the military in the service of the Republic Giovanni Maria Olgiati . The next project started in 1626 ( and completed three years later) by Fray Gaspar said Maculano between Fiorenzuola , which operated in collaboration with the Genoese architect Bartolomeo Bianco , endowed the structure of six impregnable bastions said St. Mary , St. John's Evangelista , Crescent , St. Bernard , St. Thomas ( or word of mouth ) and St. Anthony (or of the Banner ) , joined together by strong barrages of armed gunboats . They date back to 1673 , the fortifications on the hill next door ( Reduced Monte Moro). Subject of the expansionist ambitions of the rulers of Savoy , the fort underwent several sieges of Gavi : he was attacked and conquered for the first time in 1625 by the forces of Franco- Savoyard . Recaptured by the Genoese after only twenty-one days , it was decided at the end of the war the transformation into a fortress , more adequate to withstand the artillery of the time (between Fiorenzuola project). Attacked again in 1746 by the Austrians (see Portoria and Giovan Battista Perasso), surrendered at the request of the same Genoa. In 1799 , after the battle of Novi , remained one of the few strongholds still in the hands of the French. Passed to France in 1804, was finally attributed to the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 . Decommissioned in 1859 , the fort was turned into a prison civil . During the Second World War it was later used as a prison camp for officers in the Anglo- Americans. At the end of the conflict remained abandoned until 1978 , when he started on the restoration project . The life led by soldiers inside the fort has always been rather spartan and marked by tough guard duty. To preside over the control were two key figures: the castle, which was entitled decisions of major importance, and the Munizioniere, in charge of the supply of weapons and food.
