It's said that Genoa and its historical centre are surrounded by an aura of mystery. And the forts no less: they have always been fascinating for the young and adults alike, also thanks to the legends and mysteries surrounding them. For example, who hasn't heard about the secret passage ways which are supposed to connect some of them? These are the most frequent and talked about of the mysteries. But no-one has ever found the secret passages; or they have been visited when still youg an nobody remembers how to access them. Also, in the original documents and designs these passages aren't indicated. One would argue, "but if they are secret, they obviously wouldn't be shown in the drawings." But the constructors of the time must have had designs and drawings to refer to, which were then placed in the military archives. If they existed, today one would be able to consult them, because the military secret no longer exists due to the fact that the forts have become monumental buildings and are taken care of along with their blueprints. But do these secret passages really exist?

 Fort Monteratti would have secret labyrinths, inside which there should be a room completely closed-in and full of water, still containing armaments and the bodies of some unfortunate soldiers. Obviously, no-one has been able to see this place, of which the information is more on an "it's said" basis than on actual testimonies, and plus, no blueprints show these catacombs.

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 The small Towers that were never finished outside the Nuova Mura should instead, according to testimonies, be connected to eachother (or to the city walls) by an underground walkway. Often it's the term "walkway" that brings to mind underground passages, but that's not the case. Walkways, in our fortifications, are only in the open, or rather never underground. As we have read on the page referring to the Towers of the 1800s, a covered walkway was projected, but in any case only by surface tunnels, and not underground (these surely would have cost more to build) These towers were never completed, although they had been approved by the Sovereign in person, actually they were the object of harsh criticism between the engineers of the time because of their circular form. This caused the project to be abandoned when it was only half-finished

 Why can we say for certain that these passages don't exist? From the archive documents we know that the work to construct the towers, begun in 1819, was temporarily interrupted the year after and taken-up again in 1823, only to be definately interrupted two years later. Their construction, because of the often wet climate, could only be done during the summer. Calculating that, in six years, the work on these towers couldn't have been more than 12 months, and keeping in mind the period and the methods available, it's probable that in that time span, underground passages couldn't have possibly been built. Also looking at the distance between the towers and the formation of the terrain,, this hypothesis can be excluded. And, as we have already said, these buildings were never finished nor were they ever used, so even the forseen tunnels above-ground, connecting them to the walls (or the hypothetical underground tunnel) was certainly never initiated.

 Another tower in possession of a secret passgae is that of San Bernardino. This was connected, originally with the city door of the same name (and so the whole enclosure) by means of an above-ground passage. According to some, this passage, instead of ending once it had reached the tower, continued uninterrupted up to the antique Villa Bruzzo, situated on the walls where today there is the residence of San Camillo. This double connection to the walls, if the passage to the villa existed, wouldn't make any sense because it would be useless to have the passage connecting to the San Bernardino door.

 Return to the San Bernardino Tower page

 The most common legend, not supported by documental proof, regards the catacombs along the City Walls. According to testimonies, the walls are connected by underground passages. Why isn't this possible? Because the enclosure was built without the use of mines, using only pickaxes and derivatives to dig into the rock. How much time would it have taken to dig a long passage in the solid rock in the XVII century? An underground tunnel needed airholes, and embankments with defensive functions. These aren't present. This legend is probably born from the common phrase: "connections-or walkways-along the circle." But this represents the so-called "cammino di ronda" which is still visible today, in the open.

 According to tradition, the Zerbino Wall is the place where the most vulgar apparition appears. He doesn't appear at midnight, but at dawn, even though he waits for the haze, rare in that area; and he is also filthy and cut-up, with an almost inhuman aspect, and he curses the unfortunate soul which sees him. It seems that this spirit comes out once every ten years (it would be interesting to know the date of his last appearance ...).

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 The assumed secret passage between Fort Sperone and Fort Diamante is another mystery which still today is on everyone's tongue. Let's already state that the passage doesn't exist; the idea was born when the information was published in a book dedicated to the forts of Genoa. The author actually misunderstood the information that the Anonimo (Anonymous) of 1818 gave about Fort Sperone. Near Fort Sperone, there is the only road which leads to Fort Diamante (Puin and the Due Fratelli at that time had just been initiated), which exited from Poterna still existent on the Polcevera side: "On the edge of the mountain, the bulwark that forms the superior angle or rather the higher vertex of the grand enclosure is made in the form of a spur from an antique ship...raised is...on the crest of the mountain, from which you exit from a secret door of communication with the Diamante ...". The "secret door" is non other than the Poterna.

 Maybe there are few who know that with Fort Sperone, there is also tied a story about a ghost with "an ugly aspect", it seems that this entity appeared "with a formal invitation" only once, on an uncertain date between 1800 and 1900, after a spiritual sitting which "occured in an abandoned stable under the principle construction of the fort". The spirit said that that "was his place, since the end of 1600, when he had killed a shepherdess. And the body of the girl, horribly mangled, was indeed found at that time by the farmers".

 Return to the Fort Sperone page, or

 Go to the Fort Diamante page.

 Between Forte San Giuliano and Brignole it is said that there is an underground passage. We won't even consider this information, it's enough just to think about how much work and money it would have costed to dig such a tunnel, without even considering the fact that there are three valleys to cross, one of which is quite large - the Bisagno Valley. The legend is fairly recent, after having seen the numerous underground passages which surrounded the fort. These didn't lead too far, but originally encircled the fortification.

 Return to the Fort San Giugliano page

 The mysteries which encircle Fort Tenaglia are of another type. The first regards "Napoleone's tresure", hidden in the fort. If this also existed it would now be impossible to find, because the Tenaglia of Napoleone's time was quite different than the one we know today. Also, it would have already been found between 1815 and 1836 when the fort was enlarged.

 The other mystery goes back to World War II. It seems that the German troops which occupied the fort at that time, before abandoning it hid "something" in a hidden place, like a niche. Feeding the mystery there is the story about an old german soldier who, after thirty years presented himself (in the '70s), armed with a rudementary map with intentions of getting that "something" (documents? Arms? Or what else?) Access, however, wasn't denied to him, he was to ask the Military General for permission to enter (in that period the fort was still theoretically in the hands of the Ministry of Defense). The old military man left, promising to return; but no-one ever saw him again.

 Return to the Fort Tenaglia page

 To Fort Castellaccio and the Specola Tower there are linked two -one could say- supernatural mysteries. A postal worker who worked inside the fort, had two dogs (which, it is said, are much more sensible in percieving ... shall we say..."presences"). These dogs, free to run around the vast area and abandoned structures, always avoided two places. The first is the old, abandoned powder magazine, in the higher part of the complex, the other is the site where the Specola Tower is built. When they were forced to pass by they whined nervously. Always. But in the powder magazine they refused to enter. And they never went close to the tower. Here, as we have already said, for centuries, capital excecutions took place; maybe "something" has rermained "in the air", and the dogs sensed it, but the powder magazine?

 Return to the Fort Castelaccio and Specola Tower page

 In conclusion, the Forts have always stimulated the fantasy, regarding secret passages which up until now no-one has ever been able to find, or to find some historical finding hidden inside the walled-in rooms (helmets, armaments, documents, maybe even treasure or the remains of some forgotten prisoner). In the complexes non of these can be found, they have already been "found". Maybe one can still find some buried cisterns (or simple canteens) full of "junk": everything that there was to discover, has now already been discovered by the preceding generations. The forts are structures which should be respected, they represent Genoese history-architectural and bellic-they are part of OUR cultural patrimony. It's absurd to ruin the manufactured goods, destroying in a minute that which costed months, years of hard labour. The defense of these structures is a common responsability, not only that of the organisations dedicated to their conservation.

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