FORTE DI GAVI

The commercial mandate of Gavi, which has been on-going since the twelfth century, was substantiated and strengthened in the modern age thanks to two Genoese ideas designed to condition the area in a lasting manner: going up the Lemme valley, the strengthening of the road that connects through the Bocchetta pass, the Ligurian city with the Alexandrian plain and the progressive transformation of the pre-existing castle in the fort that overhangs the built-up area, the most advanced of the Genoese border corners towards the Milanese territories.

The events of the fortification are known. The first "modern" adaptation project of the castle dates back to 1544: it was owed to Engineer Gianmaria Olgiati and it involved the most important area. However; between 1626 and 1629, thanks to the work of Vincenzo da Fiorenzuola, the complex assumed the still appreciable articulation and dimensions, thanks also to the addition of the pincer for Monte Moro's defense.

In the following decades and until the mid-eighteenth century, in conjunction with the main events of the war that involved the fort; inspections and operations took place. With regards to the former, it is worth mentioning that of Gaspare Beretta of 1673, where there had been a need to strengthen and link the works of Monte Moro to the fort. Giovanni Gherardo de Langlade towards 1717, supervised the works of the latter to strengthen the defenses, Pietro Morettini in 1727-1729, supervised the adjustments of the internal structures, as well as Jacques de Sicre in 1745.