Overview
A medieval fortress to trace the history of war equipment
Built on the highest point of Monte di S. Sergio in Urbino, Albornoz Fortress is named after Cardinal Albornoz, who is credited with its construction in the second half of the 14th century. Built for defensive purposes, over the centuries, it underwent various destructions and reconstructions. In the early 1500s, the fortress was unified with the city walls, only to be ceded in 1673 to the Discalced Carmelite fathers of the nearby convent, now housing the Academy of Fine Arts.
In Napoleonic times, the fortress was rebuilt for military needs, then returned to the ownership of the religious order. The brick structure, as we see it today, has a rectangular layout with two semi-circular towers and bastions. It currently houses the “Bella Gerit” Museum, partly dedicated to the exhibition of some archaeological finds, and partly to the history of war equipment in use between the 14th and 16th centuries. Faithful reproductions of firearms, mostly made according to the treatises by Francesco di Giorgio Martini are exhibited here.
Its privileged position offers a panoramic view of the city and of the large public park, set up since 1975 in the space in front of the building and dedicated to the Resistance.
