Bastione Borghetto, Piacenza
Bastione Borghetto (Bastione di Porta Borghetto) in Piacenza is part of the preserved city fortifications of the Renaissance. Only 2 cities in the region have such fortificayions – Piacenza and Ferrara. The gate of Borghetto is part of the bastion of the same name, designed to deter enemy troops.
History of the bastion
Farnesiane Walls were built in 1547, they replaced the old and unfit for defense medieval fortifications. The first gate Porta Fodesta was too close to the river and was subject to floods. Their alternative was the Bastione Borghetto, erected six years later, in 1553. It quickly became one of the most important in the city. In the first half of the 19th century, being in submission to Austria, the bastion underwent significant changes. There were new, more modern, fortifications, casemates and a warehouse.
During the First World War, there was a military prison here, and during the Second World War – warehouses, anti-aircraft batteries and guard rooms. Finally, at the beginning of the 21st century, the bastion, no longer used for defense, was restored, and a new milestone in its history began.
Architecture and present state
A long arch bridge leads to the gate. The passage in the bastion is also arched, executed in a characteristic for the Renaissance style. Above the arch there is a marble bas-relief with the coat of arms of the Duke Pier Luigi Farnese. In the side windows there were 2 guns. Near the main bastion in the walls were buildings used as warehouses and barracks. On the inside there is a niche with baroque plaster, a statue of the Madonna is situated in it. And on the inner façade you can see an inscription reminding of the liberation of the city from the Austrians on June 10, 1859.
After the restoration, a theater hall with 180 seats and a panoramic café appeared here. Many rooms were used for various art exhibitions, workshops, concerts, and other cultural events. Since 2013, the annual exhibition of wines Sorgentedelveino LIVE is held here.
How to get there
The Bastione Borghetto is located in the northern part of the center of Piacenza, near the Piazzale Porta Borghetto. They are almost in the center of the Farnesiane Walls, encircling the historical center. Next to the square there is a stop on Via Borghetto, 163. It can be reached by buses of routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 17, CS.
