Oneglia’s fortifications: new documents and remaining legacies

Since 1576, Oneglia, capital of the princedom with the same name, has represented – together with Nizza – a fundamental access to the Mediterranean Sea. The recent discovery of unpublished documents about the reconstruction of the defences of the city (that is nowadays part of Imperia), commissioned since 1673 from Carlo Emanuele II of Savoy, has led the project back to Antonio Maurizio Valperga (1605-1688). Valperga was an engineer from Piedmont and was among the main responsible for the update of the Savoy’s State defence system, that was begun in 1665 by will of the duke; he was a key figure in the context of the military architecture in the second half of the Seventeenth century in Europe, though his role hasn’t been duly recognized yet. The analysis of the documents led to obtain information about the organization of the buildingsites, the building techniques, the materials that were used and the professional figures working there. Interesting relations and interactions between the technicians who realized the defences have emerged, together with their roles, skills, background and preparation. Today it’s still possible to identify, inside of the city, signs of the old fortifications, that can still be recognized.