Forte delle Saline: guarding the salt pans of Orbetello

The Saline fort is located at the mouth of the Albegna river near the Porto Santo Stefano-Giannella dell’Aurelia exit, at the exit you take the direction of Porto Santo Stefano (Monte Argentario), after a few meters, before the bridge you turn right onto a dirt road which shortly leads to the fort, which is already visible from the main road.

The fort is located on the left bank of the Albegna river near the mouth. It was originally built by the Sienese in the 15th century as a watchtower. Later, with the creation of the State of Presidi, the Spanish enlarged the fort and incorporated the Sienese tower into the fort which was then equipped with barracks, bastion walls and a moat with a drawbridge. The two buildings are still visible today.

The fort was placed to control the salt pan which was located on the opposite bank of the river, it also served as a river stopover and as a customs house. The complex is made up of a quadrilateral enclosure made up of a thick wall with a rather wide patrol walkway so as to be able to accommodate the artillery as well.

At the four corners there are: a sturdy tower facing the sea, a small bastion on the opposite corner and two other bastions in each of which there is a circular sentry box (one covered with a dome and one uncovered). The basement part of the enclosure has scarp walls strengthened at the corners and marked by a stone curb. The tower, which protrudes outwards, has a height equal to three times that of the enclosure and shows, at the top, a series of small arches on corbels.