Fort of Gavi - Openings for 2026

31 December 2026

The town of Gavi, known for its white wine, has ancient origins: it existed as early as the Neolithic period, and in Roman times, Gavium was an important village, located on the "link" road between the Via Postumia and the Via Emilia. Already in this era, there is talk of a castle perched atop the rock overlooking the town, which allowed control of the ancient road linking Genoa to Monferrato and Lombardy. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Gavi passed under various rulers before finally becoming a Genoese possession. Certain historical records of the castle date back to the 12th century. Passing first into the hands of Barbarossa, then his son Henry, who gave it to the Genoese, the fort was the scene of battles between Tortona, Genoa, and Alessandria. Its true fortress status was achieved thanks to the military engineer Vincenzo Maculano, known as Fiurenzuolo, who in 1625 was commissioned by the Republic of Genoa to design a project to increase the security and military power of the ancient castle. The current configuration is a star-shaped polygon, characterized by six bastions jutting out at acute angles, joined by curtain walls. Within the polygon, two areas can be identified: the keep, or high fort, which encloses the original core, and the Citadel, or low fort, consisting of the later buildings. The keep has an imposing structure, its walls primarily made of square ashlars. The Citadel consists of two long buildings, a chapel, and a low building leading to an internal courtyard. Here, two large cisterns collect rainwater from the roofs. In the low fort, other buildings can be seen, once used as warehouses, storehouses, and a powder magazine.
From the second half of the 19th century until 1907, the Gavi fort served as a rural prison, while during the First World War, it housed Austrian prisoners of war. Finally, during the Second World War, it served as a prisoner-of-war camp for British soldiers, while the Germans later used it as a prisoner-of-war camp for Italian officers.

VISIT SCHEDULE TO FORTE DI GAVI, from April to September:
WEEKDAYS 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM - cost €5 per person (regular tours with internal staff)
HOLIDAYS 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 4:00 PM, 5:30 PM - cost €5 per person (regular tours with internal staff)

TIMES RESERVED FOR EXTERNAL GUIDES
As is known, external guides who request a visit with already-organized groups have access to the museum. In order to better organize this possibility and avoid overlaps with "regular tours", a series of times have been defined. External guides are limited to the lower Fort, with a maximum of 25 people. Guides must be trained and informed in advance about the tour route, including escape routes/safe areas, and must have a fire safety license (in the future, we will offer courses related to the Fort's safety aspects, and over time, we will require guides to be certified for medium risk (8-hour) fire prevention).
WEEKDAYS 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, cost €5 per person
HOLIDAYS 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM, cost €5 per person

UPPER FORTE PATH OPEN FROM AUGUST TO OCTOBER
For the upper Fort, we have agreed on the following dates and times with the Amici association: fixed date: the second and fourth Saturday of August, September, and October, cost €5. Tours are available at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm (groups of 12, with additional groups, up to 15). On September 26, tours will also depart at 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm. Reservations can be made by emailing the Fort: +39 0143 643.554; drm-pie.gavi@cultura.gov.it

CROSS-MOON BASTION FOR 1 EURO (READING AREA, PHOTOS, VIEW)
Those who wish may access the Crescent-Moon Bastion only, with a €1 ticket, to read, enjoy the view, take photos, and take selfies—a different way to experience the Fort. Once tickets are purchased, visitors may enter the bastion; for ease of management, a maximum of 30 people are allowed at any one time.

ATTACHED IS THE CALENDAR WITH OPENING DAYS.

Payment at the museum ticket office can be made in cash or via POS device.

Forte di Gavi - 15066 Gavi

Telephone: +39 (0143) 643.554
E-mail: drm-pie.gavi@cultura.gov.it

All the updates on:
https://museipiemonte.cultura.gov.it/index.php/musei-e-luoghi-della-cultura/forte-di-gavi/visita-il-forte-di-gavi/