Fort Richermo: An Artillery Fort Above Colle di Nava
Site at a Glance
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Italy
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Italian
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Fort
On this page7 sections
History
Fort Richermo, also known as Fort Richelmo, is a late-19th-century artillery fort in Pieve di Teco, Italy. Built between 1880 and 1888, it formed part of the Nava Barrier, a network of fortifications and other buildings designed to control the Colle di Nava pass, a major route between western Liguria and Piedmont.
Construction and defensive role
Positioned east of the pass, Fort Richermo was intended to block an approach from that direction and strengthen the defenses of Fort Centrale and Fort Ballerasco. Its elevated guns and mortars could cover a wide area. Fort Pozzanghi, northwest of the pass, was nearly identical and served a comparable defensive purpose.
Disarmament and later use
The fort was disarmed in 1915. Military personnel stationed in the area or passing near the pass later used it occasionally as shelter. It is now unused and abandoned.
Remains
Fort and infrastructure
Defensive structure
Fort Richermo stands at 1,215 metres above sea level on Poggio Richermo, east of Colle di Nava, along the divide between the Po and Ligurian drainage basins. The circular building has a cylindrical form and is made of stone with brick finishes. A deep ditch surrounds it, and a drawbridge forms the entrance. The fort lies on the boundary between Pornassio and Pieve di Teco, in Imperia province, and is in good condition and fairly well preserved.
Artillery and water supply
Fortified chambers, known as casemates, housed the artillery and protected the guns and, in some cases, their crews. A large cistern on the lower floor collected rainwater through a network of small channels. Its stored water was important for a fort at the summit.
