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The Fortress of the Borgias: a Thousand Years of History Told
In Nepi, the Forte dei Borgia is not merely a castle, but a history book written in stone. Behind the name of the famous Catalan family lie centuries of overlapping layers, from the foundations of a Roman-era gateway to the powerful Renaissance bastions, all bearing witness to the unbroken historical continuity of this small town.
Its greatest moment in the sun was when Lucrezia Borgia arrived. It was here that the daughter of Pope Alexander VI withdrew in mourning at the end of the summer of 1500, following the assassination of her husband Alfonso of Aragon. Her father Rodrigo, first as a cardinal and later as Pope, had transformed the old medieval stronghold into a fortified residence, leaving his coat of arms on the towers as an indelible signature.
But the story of the fortress does not end with the Borgias. With the arrival of the Farnese family, the castle was incorporated into an even more ambitious defensive project. Antonio da Sangallo the Younger designed the monumental ring of walls with its powerful polygonal bastions, transforming the entire western side of Nepi into a Renaissance war machine.
Today, following extensive restoration work, the Forte dei Borgia stands as the landmark monument of Nepi (VT), a journey through some of the most fascinating chapters of Italian history.
