The conception of ramparts in the sixteenth century: architecture, ``mathematics'', and urban design (Q1011814)

This paper describes the influence the greater use of gunpowder had on fortress and more generally urban design in the 16th century. The introduction gives information about the discovery of gunpowder and the development of artillery. The main part of the paper describes several 16th century examples of fortress planning, resting on Euclidean geometry principles in order to reduce the ``dead ground''. In particular, the approaches of Francesco di Giorgio Martini and Galileo Galilei to planning towers and ramparts are described and shown in picture. The paper ends with a case study (Leghorn, by Bernardo Buontalenti) of planning of a 16th century town in accordance with military principles.