Rocca Costanza, Military fortress in Pesaro, Italy.
Rocca Costanza is a fortress in Pesaro with a square plan and four cylindrical towers positioned at the corners. Straight walls connect these towers, and spiral staircases run through the interior spaces.
The fortress was built between 1474 and 1483 under Costanzo Sforza, with engineer Giorgio Marchesi da Settignano leading the design. It later served defensive purposes under different rulers, including when Cesare Borgia controlled the region around 1500.
The fortress stands at a location that has long defined the city's defenses and identity. Visitors can see how its massive structure dominates the urban space and continues to shape how people experience this area.
The fortress sits on Piazzale Giacomo Matteotti near the city center. Current renovations are underway, so check opening hours ahead of your visit to plan accordingly.
Around 1500, the fortress was surrounded by a moat filled with water from the Adriatic Sea, possibly on Leonardo da Vinci's advice during Cesare Borgia's occupation. This detail reveals how major Renaissance thinkers contributed to shaping this structure.
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