Forte San Giacomo, Military fort in Vado Ligure, Italy.
Forte San Giacomo is a fortification on the Ligurian coast near Vado Ligure featuring four bastions, underground storage areas, and a parade ground. The structure sits alongside Forte Santo Stefano, connected by external walls and passages that create an integrated defensive network.
The Genoese Republic began construction in 1757 on the ruins of an earlier fortress, with Colonel Engineer Decotte completing the project in 1758. The fort later served as a strategic military position during Napoleon's campaigns in the region.
The fortress represents eighteenth-century military architecture and demonstrates the strategic importance of coastal defense systems in the Ligurian region.
The fortification sits along Via Aurelia and connects to the neighboring Forte Santo Stefano through underground passages. Visitors should be prepared for narrow corridors and wear sturdy shoes when exploring the interior passages.
The fortress was designed as a pair with the neighboring Forte Santo Stefano, with both structures connected by underground tunnel systems that served as supply routes and escape paths. These subterranean networks represent an interesting example of 18th-century engineering.
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