mentioned most Illustrious Signori, who were his natural lords. Nor did San Michele permit any time to be lost, but soon gave proof of his knowledge and efficiency; and this he first did in Verona, when, after overcoming many difficulties, which, as it seems, were presented by that work, he constructed an exceedingly strong, and very handsome Fort, which greatly pleased those Signori, as it also did the Duke of iJrbino, their Captain-General.[1]
It was then determined to fortify Legnago and Porto, two highly important places in the Venetian territory, and both on the river Adige; one being on one side of that river that is to say, and one on the other, but the two being conjoined by a bridge. The Signori of Venice, therefore, committed the charge of this undertaking.to San Michele, commanding him to prepare a model, to the end that they might see in what manner it appeared to him that those places could and ought to be fortified. This was done by the architect accordingly, when his design pleased the Signoria very much, as it did the Duke of Urbino; whereupon, they gave orders for such works as were required, and San Michele constructed the fortifications of those places in such a manner, that nothing better would be seen in a work of that kind, nothing stronger, more beautiful, or more carefully considered in every particular, as is well known to all who have examined the same.[2]
When he had completed that undertaking San Michele constructed, almost from the foundations, the strong defences of Orzi-nuovo in the Bresciano,[3] which is a castle and port, similar to those of Legnago. Being then very pressingly required of the Venetian Signoria, by the Signor Francesco
- ↑ “This,” observes a compatriot of our author, “is the Maddalena; it was erected in 1527, and was the first angular bastion ever constructed. San Michele is thus to be considered the restorer of art in the fortification of towns, nor should he even be postponed to the celebrated Marchi, still less to the over-praised Vauban: even Antonio Colonna, though senior to the above-named architects, is not to be placed before San Michele, since Colonna, who was not born until the year 1513, could not have constructed fortifications, whether circular or angular, in 1527.”
- ↑ Many new works have been since added to these defences.—Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
- ↑ The walls and Bastions of Orzinuovo were demolished some few years since.—Ibid.
