Fortezza Nuova (New Fort), Livorno (must see)

The New Fort was built in the late 16th century, shortly after the Old Fort, forming part of an ambitious Medici strategy to secure Livorno’s harbor and control access to the port. Unlike medieval fortresses that evolved gradually, the New Fort was conceived as a modern military structure, shaped by Renaissance engineering and a clear vision of Livorno’s future as a major Mediterranean port.

The fort’s design is closely linked to Bernardo Buontalenti, a Florentine polymath. In 1576, Buontalenti proposed the "Buontalenti Pentagon", a comprehensive defensive system enclosing the settlement. The New Fort itself was built on a canal-surrounded island within this defensive network, and even today the structure appears almost like a fortress rising directly out of the water. As Livorno expanded, parts of the fortifications were modified to allow the growth of commercial districts.

For centuries, the New Fort remained an active military installation and later served additional roles, including use as a prison. Heavily damaged during the Second World War, it was restored by 1972 and reimagined for civilian use. Today, the New Fort functions as a public park and cultural venue. Inside the walls, visitors can walk across grassy lawns and along gently rising ramparts, where the fort’s angular bastions and thick masonry remain clearly visible. Traces of embrasures, walls, and defensive geometry survive throughout the site, while the broad interior space is now used for quiet walks, informal gatherings, and occasional cultural events.