Forte Puin, Defensive fort on Monte Peralto, Genoa, Italy.
Forte Puin is a defensive structure on Monte Peralto in Genoa featuring a two-story central tower and three underground storerooms built into the ground. The entire fortification is surrounded by a protective ditch with a drawbridge that provides access to the interior spaces.
The fort was built between 1815 and 1830 by engineers from the Royal Corps of Sardinia to strengthen the defensive line between two neighboring fortifications. This construction period followed the end of European conflicts when military positions were being reorganized across the continent.
The fort's name reflects its role in Genoa's military defense network that developed over the 19th century. Today visitors can walk through the structure and understand how it functioned as part of a larger system that protected the city.
The fort opens to visitors on Sundays and is reached via Via delle Baracche in Genoa's northern area. The location sits on a hillside, so visitors should expect walking paths to explore the different sections of the site.
In the 1960s a private individual spent his own resources to restore the abandoned structure and later lived there for two decades. This surprising turn in the building's life demonstrates how the fort gained a completely different purpose beyond its original military function.
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