The Bastion of Santa Maria

The Bastion of Santa Maria

The bastion of Santa Maria was planned by the military engineer Pietro Antonio Tomasello. Its construction was assigned, in April 1529, to the master builder Simone Messina with 9 skilled workers and 22 labourers. A further 24 labourers were also involved in the preliminary excavations for the construction of the foundations that were completed by October 1529.

The bastion, completed in around 1537, is a structure built on 5 levels. The first, and lowest, is hidden within the foundations. This is the countermine (“contromina”), a low ceilinged tunnel – too low for an average man to walk upright – that follows the perimeter of the bastion. In case of siege, soldiers would wait patiently in the countermine listening out for any sign of enemy digging. To attack the bastion, the enemy, in fact, would secretly have to dig an underground tunnel (mine) in order to approach the foundations where it would then place powerful explosives capable of bringing down the imposing walls. An efficient system of ducts (known as catùsi), that led from the floor on the next level of the bastion to the ceiling of the tunnel, created by the engineer Tomasello, could neutralise an enemy attack if they entered the tunnel. Defence soldiers would pour asphyxiating substances, capable of killing any invaders, into the ducts.

The next, or second, level of the bastion, is a long room (galleria) containing the duct apertures and which, in 1616, was used as a cannon foundry. This area, which also contained a cannon emplacement (cannoniera), is currently inaccessible, as is the tunnel below, since the entrances to both have been walled. The three adjoining rooms on the third level, on the other hand, are open to visitors. These were used to store supplies and ammunition and as a prison. There are also two cannon emplacements and overhead air vents necessary for releasing the smoke produced by the artillery and for illumination. An iron staircase leads to the fourth level and the ancient cathedral of Santa Maria, of which only the triumphal arch survives, and from which the bastion takes its name. The terraces also contained cannon emplacements used to defend Milazzo from attacks from the sea.

The bastion of S. Maria seen from the north. At its base (on the left of the photo) a military outpost, built in 1605, can be seen, partially hiding the round outline of the bastion.

The bastion showing the various levels and the hypothetical reconstruction of the countermine (“contromina”) within the foundations, currently inaccessible.

1. entrance to the fortified town - 2. galleria - 3. cisterns - 4. court yard - 5. bastion of S. Maria: third level - 6. ancient cathedral of S. Maria - 7. cannon emplacements (cannoniere) - 8. military outpost built in 1605 - 9. foundry - 10. foundry ravelin