At the end of the nineteenth century, different military structures occupied the coast of northern Sardinia. Those were the years of the Large Fortifications, key to controlling and protecting the Archipelago of La Maddalena opposite, against the French.
The Monte Altura Fortress, together with the military outposts of Capo d’Orso and Barragge, is one of these. Built between 1887 and 1889 using the granite from Monte Altura, it bragged about being the most beautiful fortress in Europe. The structure is an important example of nineteenth-century military architecture. From the hillside where it stands, it dominates the crystal-clear sea overlooking the Archipelago of La Maddalena as far as the coast of Corsica. A genuine fortified citadel, surrounded by imposing walls whose rooms can still be visited: warehouses, arms deposits, messes for the officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers as well as wash houses, the armoury and the telegraph office.
Monte Altura played a strictly anti-naval function and the heavy artillery it stored guaranteed a state-of-the-art protection for that era. The need to camouflage itself against the enemy led the engineers to draw up a simple project inspired by the surrounding environment. The result was a perfect combination of Mediterranean shrub evergreen plants, the surrounding granite outcrops, walls and the structure itself.
To reach the site, follow the trunk road SS127 as far as the roundabout for Palau. Take the SS133 and follow it as far as the second roundabout where you should take the road to Porto Rafael. After about 2 km, you’ll come to the car park.
