Antonelli was born in
Gatteo in
Romagna, and entered the service of
Philip II of Spain in 1570, working with his older brother on projects in
Oran,
Algeria and Spain. In 1581 Antonelli was commissioned by the king to build a fortress along the
Straits of Magellan, to protect this vital sea lane from attacks by
English privateers. The project, under the command of
Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa and
Diego Flores Valdez, was a complete failure, founding a short-lived settlement named
Rey Don Felipe (later called Port Famine), without any fortifications. Antonelli returned to Spain, ill and disillusioned. He was convinced, however, to take a second commission in 1586 to build fortifications for the city of
Cartagena in Colombia. Using the latest military technology of the time, he designed the city's renowned defenses, the
San Felipe de Barajas Castle, the San Sebastián de Pastelillo Fort and the San Fernando Fort. Antonelli then sailed for
Panama where he recommended the abandonment of
Nombre de Dios in favor of
Portobelo. At
Panama la Vieja at the Pacific coast he developed a plan for a fortification of the town, which was never realized. He then set sail for
Havana. In Havana he designed the fortifications which culminate at the fortress of
Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro. From there he returned to Spain. On his second voyage in 1558, he landed in
Puerto Rico, designing
Castillo San Felipe del Morro in
Old San Juan. After several more journeys to the
Caribbean, Antonelli settled in Spain, working on fortresses in Gibraltar and in other places. He died in Spain in 1616 after having one of the most illustrious careers in military architecture in the New World. His brother
Giovanni Battista Antonelli was also a military engineer, born in Italy at
Gatteo in
Romagna, and died in
Toledo, Spain, in 1588. His most important works were a series of watchtowers along the coast of the
Mediterranean Sea in Spain. == References ==