In 1602, on September 6th, elderly Pedro Enriquez de Acevedo, Count of Fuentes, arrived in Milan as new Governor, to replace Don Giovanni Ferdinando Valasco and after a series of characterless Spanish governors. A former winning man of arms and refined diplomat this shrewd governor immediately understands the danger of the Grigioni peoples’ presence in the area around Lake Como. In october 1603, after obtaining funds from the King of Spain, Fuentes had a Fortress built on top of Monteggiolo hill, in Colico, a strategical avant-post to control the way in and out both Val Chiavenna and Valtellina valleys. This irregular plan, 300 mt long and 125 mt wide stronghold features an inner ‘U’ shaped complex formerly housing the soldiers’ quarters, the Governor’s palace, the church, a mill and an oven, some water cisterns and underground storerooms.