Fortezza di Basso

A drawing made with red ink and a dip pen, of the monumental Fortezza di Basso in Florence, Italy. I sat outside the walls and let myself get lost in their detail. The effect was a bit overwhelming, much like the fortress itself.

The name, di Basso, signifies simply the lower fortress, to distinguish it from the Belvedere fortress atop the hill to the south of the city. If you draw a line between the two, you cover most of Florence's downtown, significant sites, and public spaces. This is not a co-incidence; the Lower Fortress was built less to keep out enemies than to overawe the citizens of a city that had, already, exiled its ruling family multiple times.

When Cosimo di Medici built the Fortezza di Basso, he wanted to be sure that never happened again. He was successful, but in the process saw the reduction of the great Renaissance city to a police state. It never recovered its old effervescence.

The fortress's walls are unusual; they are faced with solid stone, but every second block is carved into an extruding bulge or hemisphere. This has no military function, but instead evokes the six balls on the coat of arms of the Medici family. They didn't want anyone to forget who was boss.