Walls of Grosseto
| Walls of Grosseto | |
|---|---|
Mura di Grosseto | |
| Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy | |
Porta Vecchia | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Defensive walls |
| Owner | City of Grosseto |
| Controlled by | Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1565–1859) |
| Open to the public | yes |
| Condition | Well-preserved or intact |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 42°45′43″N 11°07′03″E / 42.761806°N 11.1175°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1565–93 |
| Built by | Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Architects involved:
|
| Materials | Brick |
The Walls of Grosseto (Italian: mura di Grosseto), known also as Medicean Walls (Italian: mura medicee), are a series of defensive brick walls surrounding the city of Grosseto in Tuscany, Italy.
The city walls, spanning approximately 3 kilometers, form a hexagonal shape and are a notable example of late-Renaissance bastion fort architecture, featuring six bastions (Rimembranza, Fortezza, Maiano, Cavallerizza, Molino a Vento, Garibaldi), a citadel, and gates.
The fortifications were commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici, after the conquest of the Republic of Siena and its annexation to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. The walls were designed by engineer-architect Baldassarre Lanci in 1564. Construction began in 1565 and was completed in 1593. During the 19th century, under the rule of Leopold II, the walkways of the walls were demilitarized and transformed into gardens and promenades.
The Renaissance walls of Grosseto incorporate two medieval structures from the old Sienese fortifications: Porta Vecchia and the Cassero Senese. The walls remain largely intact and are fully walkable, except for a brief section to the north where Porta Nuova was originally located.