San Giorgio Castle in La Spezia (Italy)

San Giorgio Castle is a Genoese military fortification that rises on the heights of the city of La Spezia and can be reached via XXVII Marzo which crosses today the old walls formerly defended the town.

The original nucleus of the manor, which has been rebuilt over the centuries, rose in 1262 by Nicolò Fieschi's wish to strengthen his domination in the area, and expanded the ancient fortress already on Poggio. In 1273 the troops of the Genoese Republic led by Oberto Doria, captured, destroyed and plundered La Spezia by beating the Fieschi trophies. Nicolò Fieschi gave up all his possessions to the Republic.

In 1343 the castle was rebuilt, the year when the doge Simone Boccanegra selected the Place of Spetia at the seat of the new Podesteria generated by Carpena.

The construction of the new walls of the village dates back to this period, and today it remains a testimony of about three hundred meters. In the short stroke you can still observe the characteristics of Ghibelline merlature and the walk of guards ronda.

The path of the ancient walls forms a rectangular enclosure that descends to the present street Biassa and, following the present street Colombo and passing through Sapri, went out towards the church of Saints John and Augustine, ascending towards the fort. The city wall, however, caused a big problem for the community of Brozos: completely excluded the building of the church of Santa Maria, which was sacrificed and demolished in 1436, in order to prevent an easy incursion by viscount trout, and then be reconstructed Subsequently within the defensive perimeter.

In 1606 the castle was rebuilt and restructured through the construction of the upper fortress by the Genoese, which at that time built other fortifications and castles in the Gulf area (like Portovenere and Lerici) in order to increase the defense of the lands. In 1609 the garrison was reinforced, reaching the staff of twenty units: a captain, two bombers, a drummer and sixteen soldiers.

With the decree of October 26, 1609, the castle was given an important respect: the castellano who was supposed to be a nobleman could not leave the fort outside the death penalty.
The title of Captain of the Spezia was replaced by order dated 30 April 1757 with the most prestigious governor. The first of these was Gio Batta Rages, who took the title on 1 May of the same year, on which the new captains were to take on the captains who followed.

With the Kingdom of Sardinia, the defensive works of the territory of Sardinia were reorganized. The castle of San Giorgio was handed over to the municipal administration and even in 1885 it was likely to be demolished to build in its area the new civilian hospital. The place was particularly appreciated by Professor Pagliani, General Director of Public Health. A national contest was also banned for the project which was subsequently set aside because it was too expensive for the intervention of the Regional Office for the Conservation of Monuments that gave its negative opinion of the demolition. The new hospital was built on the hill of San Cirpiano, home of the current Sant'Andrea hospital.