Rome - Pope Julius II Castle in Ostia Antica
The Castle was built in 1483 by the cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (future Pope Julius II, 1503-1513), who commissioned the Florentine architect Baccio Pontelli to design it.
As one of the most important examples of Renaissance military architecture, the complex includes a perimeter wall with casematte (cannon-proof rooms), three towers (one of which incorporates the Pope Martin V tower), a rivellino (the highest tower built to protect the main entrance) and a wide ditch.
After the siege of the Duke of Alba (1556), the flood after which the Tiber deviated from its course (1557) and the increase of malarious swamps, the Castle and the Hamlet were abandoned. The Papal custom-house, previously hosted here, was moved to Tor Boacciana at first, and to Tor San Michele soon after.
At a later stage the Castle was used as a prison, where prisoners condemned to forced labour were held, and used by Pope Pius VII (1800-1823) and Pius IX (1846-1878) to underetake excavations at Ostia Antica.