The Gardens of the Fortress, also known as the Vascone, are located on the east side of the Fortezza da Basso in Florence, between the bastions and the Filippo Strozzi avenue. The area was designed by Giuseppe Poggi, as part of the works for the construction of the surrounding avenues (from 1865). The project harmonized the differences in height between the moats that ran around the ancient walls of Florence and the level of materials resulting from the demolition of those walls. Three slightly offset levels were created, with trees framing the central basin, the large elliptical pool that forms a true small lake, decorated by splashes from fountains and hosting a colony of mute swans. The species, some of which are centuries old, were selected to have different growth habits and leaf colors in each season, creating a pleasant variation in the perception of the garden.