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As soon as we arrive to the Fortress "da basso" (the down fortress), as it's called in Florence, we can immediately note a strange position of the bastions: the strongest are imposing the city side. Obviously when it was built, between 1534 and 1537 following the project of S. Gallo by Alexander de' Medici, the fortess was controlling a smaller Flrorence and the station of S.Maria Novella was not built yet.
There was instead the religius complex of S. Maria Novella with the marvelous abbey which represented the religius power of the Roman curch. That was a challange and a self show of Medici's power to the religius power in the city.
Alessandro de' Medici, was the right hand of the Pope Clemente VII (de' Medici), his huncle and the fortress was playing a important role to consolidate the power of medici's family and discourage all possibly enemyes against the reigning dynasty.
The imposing fortress, during that age, was a model for future fortress projects. In Florence in fact there are some details that reduce the effectiveness military power but thet show a magnificent symbol of power to all the common people.
The military complex lost all its effectiveness just after a century and it was never part of a real battle. It was used like barracks and from some years, after the inner added one of modern buildings, it became the most important Florentine show-pole.
The complex a century lost of effectiveness after solo and never did not see although a minimal battle. |
