Forts of Rome

The Forts of Rome are the complex of fixed works of military defense constituting the entrenched field of the city, consisting of fifteen "Prussian"-type forts and four hexagonal batteries. They were erected between 1877 and 1891 in defense of the strip of territory immediately surrounding the city of Rome (Italy), then in the countryside, at a distance of about 4–5 km from the Aurelian Walls and about 2–3 km from each other, for an overall development of about .

After some controversies about the project, the forts were commissioned by Royal Decree nr. 4007 of August 12, 1877. The first seven forts (Monte Mario, Braschi, Boccea, Aurelia Antica, Bravetta, Portuense and Appia Antica) were built starting from the same year 1877 on the right side of the Tiber (except for the Forte Appia Antica), as a defence against landings on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The construction of the remaining eight forts (Antenne, Ardeatina, Casilina, Ostiense, Pietralata, Prenestina, Tiburtina and Trionfale) began in 1880 thanks to new funds; by Royal Decree of November 1, 1882, they were named after the streets on which they stood. The four batteries were built in an intermediate and set-back position: they were called Tevere (on the right bank of the river under Monte Mario), Appia Pignatelli, Porta Furba and Nomentana.

All the buildings soon fell into disuse, due both to their excessive closeness to the expanding city and to the evolution of the ballistic techniques and of the military strategies; by Royal Decree n. 2179 of October 9, 1919, they were removed from the list of the State fortifications and used as barracks and military depots. Later they ended up being incorporated into the urban fabric and, in some case, were delivered to the Municipality of Rome; however, some of them are currently unused or abandoned.

List #FortYears ofconstructionSurface(ha)MunicipioLocationDistance to the next one(km)Current usage1Aurelia Antica1877–815,7XIIVia Aurelia Antica km 3, on the corner of Via di Bravetta2,0Guardia di Finanza2Boccea1877–817,3XIIIVia di Boccea km 11,5Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome3Braschi1877–818,2XIVVia della Pineta Sacchetti4,0AISE and Raggruppamento unità difesa4Monte Mario1877–828,4IVia Trionfale km 3, on Monte Mario2,0Esercito Italiano5Trionfale1882–8821,0XIVVia Trionfale km 74,0Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome6Antenne1882–912,5IIMonte Antenne, at the confluence of Tiber and Aniene4,0Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome7Pietralata1881–8525,4IVVia di Pietralata, close to the Aniene2,0Esercito Italiano8Tiburtina1880–8423,8IVVia Tiburtina km 42,0Esercito Italiano9Prenestina1880–8413,4VVia Prenestina km 43,0Autonomous social center "CSOA Forte Prenestino"10Casilina1881–823,8VVia Casilina km 44,0Depot for the military area of the former Rome-Centocelle Airport11Appia Antica1877–8016,5VIIIVia Appia Antica km 42,0Aeronautica Militare12Ardeatina1879–8211,2VIIIVia Ardeatina km 42,5Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome13Ostiense1882–848,8IXVia Ostiense km 42,5Polizia di Stato14Portuense1877–815,2XIVia Portuense km 22,0Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome15Bravetta1877–8310,6XIIVia di Bravetta, within the Valle dei Casali2,0Entrusted to the Municipality of Rome

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