The FORTE FUENTES is a Spanish fortress of the seventeenth century wanted by the then Governor of the State of Milan, Pedro Enriquez de Acevedo, Count of Fuentes to prevent any ambition of expanding the Three Grey Leagues (modern Swiss Grisons) that it intended to broaden the own domain from the Valtellina and Valchiavenna up the High Como Lake.

Made from 1603, you can tell completed in 1609 even though he was the object of revisions and updates until 1627. It was a source of contention in its nearly 150 years of operating life until 1736 when he became involved in the fighting for the war Polish succession. Then was a possession of the Austrians, but was conquered by the French allies to the Piedmont. It was the last stronghold of the Austrian defensive system to surrender after a symbolic resistance of three days. Was later retaken by the Austrians and finally lost military value in 1782, when Emperor Franz Joseph declared it decayed as a fortress with the Castle of Lecco.

Built above the Montecchio East, overlooking the natural reserve of Pian di Spagna (so named as a result of the Spanish rule), the FORTE FUENTES is one of the few examples still existing and still perfectly "readable" of the Spanish domination.

The FORTE FUENTES was destroyed in 1796 by Napoleon's troops of General Rambeau for express order of Napoleon when, however, was no longer a military fortress. In 1916 the road - that was, in the seventeenth century, a small trail that led to the back door or "Socorro" - was the subject of excavation work and enlargement to bring eight pieces 149 G on top of the mountain, where there was the ancient "pincer" of the Fort. Eight positions in armoured concrete with attached an underground gunpowder. This connection with the First World War brings us geographically and historically close to Forte Montecchio North, built between 1912 and 1914 not far from this Montecchio and also visitable...