Imposing military work which, on one side, controls the Valchiavenna while, on the other side, it controls the beginning of the Valtellina... #tuttitaly
The Fort of Fuentes, located above Montecchio Est, dominates the natural reserve of Pian di Spagna. Built in 1603 during the Spanish domination, the fort was intended to prevent the expansion of the Grisons in the region. The structure has a trapezoidal shape and was built to take advantage of Montecchio Est's orography, using its schists, rocks, and the surrounding marsh as a natural moat.
Montecchio Est was considered a strategically important area, and the fort was heavily armed, housing about twenty of the most powerful cannons of the 17th century.
In 1620, the fort's cannons were used in the revolt of the Valtellina against the Swiss occupiers, an event known as the "sacred massacre," which caused the death of hundreds of Protestants.
Despite its reputation for being almost impregnable, the fort had its last battle in 1736, 133 years after its foundation. Over the years, the fort gradually lost its value and was abandoned by the Austrians in 1782.
During the Italian Campaign 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the fort's destruction. General Rambeau mined the fort in the ceilings and partitions, leading to its demolition.
In 1995, the Fort of Fuentes passed from the Fiocchi family to the Province of Lecco and subsequently to the Municipality of Colico, which took over its direct management.
Today, the fort represents a historical testimony of Spanish domination in Italy and attracts numerous visitors interested in history and military architecture.
