Itinerary features
The itinerary is simple, can be done on foot and is about 1.0 km long and is easily accessible by public transport (ATAC bus lines 98 - 786 – 889).
The Parco dei Martiri del Forte Bravetta is located in the larger area of the Valle dei Casali Nature Reserve. The route inside it winds in a ring around Forte Bravetta, along the old defensive moat.
Description of the itinerary
It is a place to experience and discover, where memory intertwines with nature, offering you moments of reflection far from the chaos of the city.
There are numerous testimonies along the route of the itinerary:
• The historical ones that span the last two centuries of the city's history (from the construction of the defensive walls of Rome in the 19th century, to the war period of the Second World War) with particular emphasis given to the events linked to the city's anti-fascist resistance;
• The botanical ones are the centuries-old spectators of a substantial arboreal heritage that, right in the centre of the town, enriches the daily life of the citizens. Among the most important essences: the wild lime, the black locust, the olive, the apricot, the Japanese medlar, the almond, the alatern, the downy oak and the hackberry or stonebreaker.
Historical points of interest
Forte Bravetta
Built between 1877 and 1883, Forte Bravetta extends over an area of about eleven hectares, and is one of the 15 forts built in what was once the first peripheral area of Rome. Today it is part of the Valle dei Casali Nature Reserve, between Via Aurelia and Via Portuense.
Designed as an artillery position in defense of the Capital, it was later transformed into a barracks and military depot.
Used during the fascist regime as a place of execution of death sentences, the Fort is sadly famous because, with the German military occupation of the city (1943-1944), numerous partisans and soldiers were executed here. For this reason, the place became a symbol of the Roman resistance and the values of the defense of freedom.
In the post-war period and until a few years ago, Forte Bravetta was used as a munitions depot. Decommissioned by the Army, it passed to the jurisdiction of the Public Property and since 2009 it has been owned by the Municipality of Rome which has dedicated this place to collective memory. The area was reopened to the public in 2011 as Parco dei Martiri.
The plaque in memory of the martyrs
At the entrance to the Park we find the Commemorative Plaque of the Martyrs who were shot in this place. The monument recalls the names of 77 patriots, six of whom were shot on June 3, 1944, a few hours after the arrival of the Allies.
On July 16, 2018, the Presidency of the Republic, in awarding the Gold Medal for Military Valor to the city of Rome, cites Forte Bravetta among the most significant places in the fight for Liberation.
The parade ground
The parade ground of Forte Bravetta is a place steeped in history, a symbol of memory and reflection. Born as the hub of the fort’s military activity, the parade ground was the place where training, parades and ceremonies took place. Its large space, bordered by high bastions, was witness to a daily life marked by the discipline and organization of military life. During the fascist period and the Second World War, it was used as a place of execution for capital sentences, transformed into a theater of suffering and death. Today, the parade ground, together with the entire Fort, is an integral part of the Parco dei Martiri del Forte Bravetta. The dirt square, the water collection channels and the profiles of the bastions have remained almost unchanged. Walking on the parade ground, the sensation is that of taking a journey through time: every stone, every trace seems to tell a story, a fragment of the past that cannot be forgotten.
The shooting of the condemned
The executions in the Piazza d’Armi, from 1932 to 1943, took place following precise procedures. The condemned spent the last night in the Roman prison of Regina Coeli and then were transferred at first light to Forte Bravetta. The officers arranged the chairs by fixing them to the ground with stakes, blindfolded the condemned and tied them to the chairs with their backs turned towards the platoon; finally, the officer read the sentence and ordered the shooting. After the coroner had certified the death, the death certificates were drawn up and signed by the investigating judge, the doctor himself and a representative of the Governorate of Rome, the report was attached at the bottom of the sentence.
Among the victims, Don Giuseppe Morosini, who inspired the heroic priest protagonist of the film Rome, Open City by Roberto Rossellini, who died here on 3 April 1944.
Functional structures of the Fort
Within the perimeter of the Fort there are remains of old military structures, some functional to the Fort, such as the air intakes, others pertaining to it, others related to the post-war military use of the area.
• Air intakes
These are elements related to the ventilation of the underground rooms of the Fort, often dark and humid places, which required an efficient ventilation system to ensure the survival and health of those confined there. Their main function was to adequately ventilate the underground rooms by introducing fresh air from the outside to eliminate humid and/or contaminated air and prevent the accumulation of mold and bacteria. In this way, in addition to reducing the risk of respiratory diseases, the structures were also preserved.
• Watchtowers
There are numerous watchtowers, or guard towers, within the perimeter of the park. These are strategic structures built with the primary purpose of providing a high and protected observation point. They were essential for promptly identifying air or other attacks and providing warnings to defense units.
• House of the guardian or strong guard
The house housed one of the key figures for the security of the fort and for the protection of its occupants.
• Water tank, warehouses and stables
A military structure was not only a defensive structure, but also a small world in itself. To ensure the survival of the troops during sieges, it was essential to have reserves of water, food and animals. This is why tanks, warehouses and stables were built inside the fortifications.
Botanical features
The itinerary offers the observation of interesting botanical evidence and numerous trees and essences that make the Park a green lung in a very built-up and densely populated neighborhood. Along the route of the itinerary we find the Wild Lime, the Robinia, the Olive, the Apricot, the Japanese Medlar, the Almond, the Alatern, the Downy Oak and the Hackberry or Stonebreaker.
Access to the Park is free.
The event is part of the project Unexpected Itineraries of Rome - CUP J89I22001930001 - Funded by the Measure Great destinations for sustainable tourism (Sheet No. 51) of the Development and Cohesion Plan (PSC) of the Ministry of Tourism, approved with CIPESS resolution of 3 November 2021 No. 58 promoted by Roma Capitale.
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