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Fortezza Medicea

Italy · 16th century

Fortezza Medicea in Italy
Photo: LigaDue · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Siena’s Fortezza Medicea (the Medici Fortress sometimes called the Fort of Saint Barbara) is a fort built in the city between 1561 and 1563 on the orders of Duke Cosimo, a few years before he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany.

The fortress is positioned on the northern edge of the central Siena in the Terzo of Camollia, next to the neighborhood of San Prospero, and since 1923 has overlooked the city's Artemio Franchi/Montepaschi Arena.

Text adapted from “Fortezza Medicea (Siena)” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Fortezza Medicea ranks #3,200 of 9,035 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #247 of the 555 mapped in Italy. Founded 1561, it is older than 35% of the atlas's dated landmarks, one of 886 atlas entries founded in the 16th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 2,143 times in the last 60 days, more than 71% of the atlas. 6 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Florence, 50 km away. It is one of the 42 landmarks on the atlas's regional map of Tuscany. See how Italy compares in the castle statistics.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Fortezza Medicea?

Fortezza Medicea stands in Italy, at 43.32228°, 11.32358°.

When was Fortezza Medicea built?

The atlas dates its founding to 1561. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.

How famous is Fortezza Medicea?

In this atlas's fame ranking: #3,200 of 9,035 worldwide, and #247 in Italy. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.

What is the nearest castle to Fortezza Medicea?

Palazzo Salimbeni, about 1 km away.

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