Forte di Gavi

The town of Gavi, known for its white wine, has ancient origins, having existed since the Neolithic period. In Roman times, Gavium was an important village, located on the "link" road between the Via Postumia and the Via Emilia. Already in this era, there is talk of a castle perched atop the rock overlooking the town, which allowed control of the ancient road that linked Genoa to Monferrato and Lombardy. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Gavi passed under various rulers and eventually became a Genoese possession. Certain historical records of the castle date back to the 12th century. Passing first into the hands of Barbarossa, then his son Henry, who gave it to the Genoese, the fort was the scene of battles between Tortona, Genoa, and Alessandria. Its true fortress status was achieved thanks to the military engineer Vincenzo Maculano, known as Fiurenzuolo, who in 1625 was commissioned by the Republic of Genoa to study a project to increase the security and military power of the ancient castle. The current configuration is a star-shaped polygon, characterized by six bastions jutting out at acute angles, joined by curtain walls. Within the polygon, two areas can be identified: the keep, or high fort, which encloses the original core, and the Citadel, or low fort, consisting of the later buildings. The keep has an imposing structure, its walls primarily made of square ashlars. The Citadel consists of two long buildings, a chapel, and a low building leading to an internal courtyard. Here, two large cisterns collect rainwater from the roofs. In the low fort, other buildings can be seen, once used as warehouses, storehouses, and a powder magazine. From the second half of the 19th century until 1907, Gavi Fort served as a rural prison. During World War I, it housed Austrian prisoners of war. During World War II, it served as a prison camp for British soldiers, and later, the Germans used it as a prison camp for Italian officers. TOURS OF THE FORT OF GAVI, from April to September: WEEKDAYS 8.30 a.m. 10 a.m. 11.30 a.m. 4 p.m. - €5 per person (regular tours by in-house staff) PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 9.30 a.m. 11 a.m. 4 p.m. 5.30 p.m. - €5 per person (regular tours by in-house staff) TOURS BY EXTERNAL GUIDES External guides are welcome to conduct guided tours of the museum sites. To facilitate the organization of these tours, without interfering with the "regular tours", specific times have been established. Tours with external guides are limited to the Lower Fort, with a maximum of 25 people, and they must be formed and informed on the tour route, emergency exits, and safety areas, prior to arrival. The guides must hold a valid license (in future, dedicated training courses will be organized regarding the safety procedures and specific requirements of the Fort. In time, licensed guides will be required to complete at least 8 hours of fire-prevention training). WEEKDAYS 9.30 a.m. - 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. €5 per person PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 10 a.m. - 11.30 a.m. - 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. €5 per person OPENING OF THE HIGH FORT FROM AUGUST TO OCTOBER For the High Fort we have agreed the following dates and times with the Amici association: second and fourth Saturday of August, September and October, €5. Tour at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. (groups of 12 up to a max of 15 participants). On 26.09, departures at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. To book, phone or email staff at the Fort at: +39 0143 643.554; drm-pie.gavi@cultura.gov.it HALF-MOON BASTION 1 EURO (READING SPACE, PHOTO SPOT, LOOKOUT POINT) Visitors who wish to visit the Half-Moon Bastion may do so by purchasing a €1 ticket. This allows them to spend time on the bastion, read, enjoy the scenery, take photos and selfies, and enjoy the fort in a different way. Once the ticket has been purchased, visitors can make their way directly to the bastion; for operational and safety reasons not more than 30 people can be present at the same time.