Forte Filippo overlooks Porto Ercole and the entire bay of the old harbour, offering one of the most striking views of the Argentario promontory. Situated atop a strategic hill, this imposing fortified complex is one of the most significant examples of the Spanish defensive system along the Tuscan coast.

The current fortress was built in 1558 at the behest of Philip II of Spain, from whom the fort takes its name. The project was entrusted to the architect Giovanni Camerini, who was tasked with strengthening the defensive system of the State of the Presidi, the territory controlled by the Spanish Crown along the Tyrrhenian coast.

Before the construction of Forte Filippo, Forte Sant’Ermo stood on the same site, a defensive structure built by the Republic of Siena in the 15th century. The Spanish, however, considered the ancient fortification unsuitable for the new military requirements and decided to demolish it completely in order to build a more modern and powerful structure.

The fort has a striking quadrangular layout and is surrounded by a double wall with massive scarp bases enclosing a wide inner moat. At the corners are large triangular bastions designed to enhance defence and ensure effective visual and military control of the entire surrounding area. A particularly distinctive feature is the asymmetry of the bastions, an architectural detail that makes the structure all the more fascinating.

The main entrance opens on the eastern side via a drawbridge leading to the second fortified gate, surmounted by a large coat of arms of Spain carved in stone. Inside lies a large courtyard around which the areas dedicated to military life were arranged: stores, sentry quarters, a medical post, depots and the powder magazine.

Among the internal buildings, the 18th-century Chapel of St Nicholas stands out; built as a single-nave structure, it remains well-preserved to this day. Some rooms have been restored and converted into private homes, whilst others house a small museum which can be visited by appointment.

As you stroll along the well-preserved ramparts, you can admire spectacular views of the Argentario coastline, the nearby fortifications and the village of Porto Ercole. Forte Filippo thus continues to tell the long military and maritime history of this stretch of the Tuscan coast, suspended between breathtaking views and memories of the past.