The Fortress of Bellinzona

The Fortress of Bellinzona is the only example of medieval military architecture still visible throughout the Alpine region consisting of several castles, connected by a wall that blocked off the entire Ticino valley, and by bastions that surrounded the town to defend the civilian population. Its origins date back to Late Antiquity, when the first settlement was established on the rocky promontory of Castel Grande.

However, the defence systems mainly owe their appearance to the extensive works carried out by the Dukes of Milan in the 15th century. It was then that these strong fortifications blocking off the entire valley were built to put a stop to the expansionist aims of the Confederates and to control the transit routes through some of the main hills of the Alpine region. The major crisis for the duchy, triggered by the descent of the French king Charles VIII (1494) into Lombardy, ended with the flight of Luigi il Moro from Milan in 1499; this event paved the way for foreign militias. The occupation of Bellinzona by the French armies lasted until the early 1500s, when an armed revolt by the people of Bellinzona led to their expulsion. The capture of Ludovico il Moro (10.04.1500) prompted the population to follow the example of Leventia, Blenio, and the Riviera, submitting to the Swiss League on 14.04.1500. With the signing of the Peace Treaty of Arona (1503), the fortified village of Bellinzona and the surrounding countryside became possessions administered directly by the Cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Nidwalden.

This system of government remained virtually unchanged until April 1798, when the three cantons renounced sovereignty over the Italian bailiwicks following the invasion of the Confederacy by Napoleonic troops. The fortress fulfilled various functions during the 19th century and was partially abandoned. In the twentieth century, a new sensibility towards historical heritage emerged that saw the castles as part of the artistic heritage that had to be protected and whose character ought to be preserved through restoration work. The hill was thus declared cantonal property in 1925. Several restoration projects were carried out over the following decades, which brought the fortress to its present state, culminating with the complex being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.