Rocca del Brunelleschi, Medieval fortress in Vicopisano, Italy

Rocca del Brunelleschi is a medieval fortress in Vicopisano with high crenellated walls supported by arches and multiple defensive towers. The compound contains interconnected walkways that run throughout the structure for surveillance and defense.

Vicopisano was besieged by Florence for eight months and fell on 14 July 1406; Pisa itself was taken that October. In 1435 Florence commissioned Filippo Brunelleschi to turn the whole settlement into a fortress, work finished in 1440. In 1503 Leonardo da Vinci stayed in the Palazzo dei Vicari here while planning Florence's campaign against Pisa.

The fortress shows how Renaissance engineering and medieval building traditions came together in one structure. Visitors can see these two approaches combined in the stone work and defensive design.

The fortress opens on weekends from March through November, with guided tours available through the Vicopisano Tourist Office. Wear comfortable shoes since climbing to the towers and walking the ramparts involves stairs and uneven surfaces.

The Torre del Soccorso at the foot of the hill communicated with the Arno so that help could arrive during sieges; a 60-metre wall linked it to the keep. The keep itself had six levels for the commander and sentinels, with cisterns and storerooms for prolonged sieges.