Fortino in Forte dei Marmi

In the centre of Forte dei Marmi stands the fortino, also known as the Lorenese Fort. The building, built for defensive reasons, has well and truly become a landmark for the city, so much so, that apart from the name, it is present on the city crest.

At the end of the 16th century, Leopold I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, commissioned the strategically placed fort as he noticed the need to protect the coast. Up until then, there were two small forts that guarded the coastline – one in Cinquale and the other in Motrone – and, considering the growing commercial exchanges owed to the marble industry, a greater protection of the area was necessary, and a customs point was installed.

Barbolani, the General Major of the Presidents of the Grand Duke, oversaw the construction from 1785 onwards of the four-sided structure that was topped by a surveillance terrace for the sentry. The fort includes a stable, a carriage house with hay storage, as well as dwellings for the castle keeper, the customs officer and the gunner.

Today the rooms of the fort host events and exhibitions.