During the 18th century, the Versilia harbour town of Forte dei Marmi, already renowned for its marble, experienced a great economic boom thanks to the development of an intense trading maritime activity. In this period, Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Tuscany decided to drain the surrounding marshland and to build a fortress to protect the harbour. Works began in 1786 and ended in 1788.

In 1997 the Fortress was transformed into the Museo della Satira e della Caricatura (Museum of satirical art), housing original designs, texts and anything concerning Italian and international satire.