For its dominating position on the top of Mount Peralto, the Sperone was one of the most important fortifications of the Piazza di Genova. It´s on two ramparts of the Nuova Mura (New Walls), it goes Puin to say that on the Val Bisagno, the points of the Sperone towards North and Torbella or of the Poterna on the Polcevera (in this it opens the coincidence of names Poterna). It seems that the first information regarding a fortification at Peralto, called Bastia or Bastida, go back to 1319. Giustiniani, in his journals, worte this, "And the Guelphs...on the top of Mount Peraldo had built a fortress named Castellazzo, to which the Ghibellines, with there crossbows, made a fortress first of wood and then of stone which was named Bastia." The position of that antique fortress isn´t clear; according to some sources, it was without doubt a smaller fort than the actual one. The first sure information regards a sum of 7.400 Liras given in 1530 by the senate for a new Bastia del Peralto. With the consruction of the Nuova Mura, it´s structures were probably absorbed. At that time of the actual fort therexisted nothing. During the assault of 1747, Sicre gave approval for the erection of a Cavaliere and gabbions on the northern bastion, and opera was found to be higher than the walls, this also improved in that way the power of the artillary fire. In September of that same year, work was restarted for the construction of barracks and other operas.

A source of the 1800´s, after having consulted archival documents, ascertains that the designs for the tower were by the engineer Speroni. He must have interpreted this information badly, and supposed that this was what gave origin to the name of the fortification. In reality, Sperone, already appeared in a map of Genoa in 1723. The term derives, without doubt, from the particular form of the settentriol bastion. In 1796 works were still in process for the construction of the barracks idealised by Sicre, contemporarily, the works of maintenance were also taking place. In the same period, the barracks were also enlarged, with the insertion of two wings, with a layered roof.

Porta or Poterna Sperone, during the siege of 1800 was closed by orders of General Massena because it was "not well defended and easy to force". This was originally the only way to access the Diamante and the Due Fratelli. At Poterna there is the story of the inexistent secret passage which links the for to the Diamante.

The actual fortification, fruit of the project by the Savoys is on three parallel levels: on the first there is the principle access, on the second were the offices and rooms for the graduates, the third (the highest) is the oldest part. The first level was constructed in 1815. At halfway, there was inserted a monumental entrance door with a drawbridge. Above the door there was placed the Coat of Arms of the Savoy family, made of Carrera Marble. In 1820 the construction of the bastionated barracks parallel to the first front was initiated. In 1823, the Cavalier was demolished. In that same year the antique barracks were amplified with the construction of a new wing towards the west, the insertion of characteristic towers, and the realisation of a second camp parallel to the first, demolishing the two buildings of the 1700´s. Finally, the storage area for gunpowder was built at the centre of the Bastione Puin. In 1830, on the terrace of the antique barracks and on the second front of the bastion, there was inserted a layered roof, covered in slate, which was destroyed during the last war, in order to rob the materials.

In March, 1849, during the revolts, the fort was taken by the royal troops. To obtain the consent of the Guardia Nazionale (National Guard), the Intendente Generale, was taken hostage, for his release they wanted the cessation of forts Begato and Sperone, which had fallen to the rebels. With the worsening of events in favour of the Piedmontese troops, there was internal desertion, with some escaping by climbing over the walls. Upon the surrender of April 10^th, the forts were given up to military authorities. On the evening of June 29, 1857, the attempt to take posession of the fort on the part of forty followers of Mazzini, failed. They tried to climb over the walls, but a yell from one of the guards stopped them and they ran away.

In October 1862, some of Garabaldi´s followers were held prisoner. In 1887, fifty soldiers from the 26^th infantry were kept. On August 30 of that same year, the roof of the tallest infantry was destroyed by a fire caused by lightening. The fort was used as a prison during the war of 1915-1918.

After nearly a year of work, on the night of OCtober 29, 1958, the complex was given to the Guardia della Finanza (Financial Police), who used the barracks for radio services. After twenty-three years the complex was once again abandoned. From 1991, inside, there are theatrical spectacles and "Luci sui Forti" (Lights of the Forts). During the night the complex is brilliantly lit. On every second Sunday of the month from March to November, the structure can be visited with a guided tour, done in part by the Commune di Genova-Servizio Giardini e Foreste and by the cooperative, Dafne.

The structure is the object of constant maintenance on the part of the Commune di Genova. The locales, even if they are abandoned, are well conserved; at times one can still notice the antique uses, for example the religious temple. The closing system of the drawbridge is still partly conserved. There also existed a small reproduction, made in terracotta of the fort, which has, however been sent to the Associazion Nazionale Combattenti in 1957. It was made by an ex-Austrian prisoner closed in the fort.

 Other Images:

 Lights of the Forts: the Carabinieri stand

 Lights on the Forts: military postcard room

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