Napoleon immediately recognised the extraordinary strategic value of the Gulf of La Spezia, whose deep, sheltered waters offered natural protection for an entire fleet. He reportedly described it as “the most beautiful gulf in the universe” and, in 1808, designated La Spezia as a military port, envisioning the construction of a major naval base.
The fall of the Napoleonic Empire prevented the project from becoming reality, but the idea was not forgotten. Almost fifty years later, Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, revived Napoleon’s vision. In 1857, he secured funding for the new Military Arsenal and entrusted its design and construction to naval engineer Domenico Chiodo.
The Arsenal would completely transform La Spezia, turning a small fortified town into one of Italy’s most important naval centres. Even today, the city’s architecture, waterfront and maritime identity still reflect the ambitious vision first imagined by Napoleon and later brought to life by Cavour.