At Rome, where the Pope's rule was absolute, there was less palace-building, but the Lombard Guild was employed greatly in their old branch of fortress and bridge building. The Masters Bartolommeo and Bertrando of Como were engaged by Pope Pius II. to strengthen the fortifications of S. Angelo. Maestro Antonio of Como built the Ponte Lucano, Maestro Antonio da Castiglione the Ponte Mammolo and Ponte Molle. Maestro Manfredo da Como was commissioned by Pius II. to build a new fortress on the heights of Tivoli to defend the valley of the Anio from incursions on the Abruzzi side. The following entries from the registers prove Maestro Manfredo's employment there-- "1461. August 12. Twenty-five ducats given to the treasurer by command of his Holiness, to be paid to Maestro Manfred the Lombard, to begin the castle of Tivoli (_roccha di Tiboli_)." "1462. May 14. To Maestro Manfredino, builder, 200 gold florins on account of the works at the fortress of Tivoli." "1462. October 6. 400 _ducats di camera_ to Master Manfredino the Lombard, who works at the castle of Tivoli."[198] [Illustration: PALAZZO PUBBLICO AT PERUGIA. _See page 257._] Master Manfred with Paolo da Campagnano, both Comacines, built the Ponte Sisto, which has been erroneously attributed to Baccio Pontelli. Pope Sixtus IV. employed Giovanni di Dolci to build the citadel of Civita Vecchia, which Baccio Pontelli finished after Giovanni's death. Antonio di Giovanni da Canobbio built the fort at Zolfanella in the same reign, while Francesco di Pietro da Triviago, Francesco da Como, and Giorgio Lombardo were joint architects of the castle at Santa Marmella. So we see that nearly all the papal forts were the work of Lombards connected with the Roman Lodge. In their own native hills the Lombards were doing similar works. [Illustration: COURT OF THE BARGELLO, FLORENCE. BUILT BY JACOPO "TEDESCO." _See page 257._] [Illustration: TOWER OF PALAZZO VECCHIO AT FLORENCE. DESIGNED BY MAGISTER ARNOLFO. _See page 257._] In A.D. 1500 Maestro Jacopo Dagurro da Bissone, who was a most able engineer, constructed a splendid viaduct, forty-eight metres long, over the Natisone, among the rocks and beetling cliffs of Civitale in Friuli. FOOTNOTES: [197] This rustic style is carried to an eccentric excess in some buildings of the seventeenth century, such as the Parliament House (Palazzo Monte Citorio) at Rome, and Zucchari's house in Florence. In Monte Citorio the window-sills are hewn and shaped smoothly for half their length, the other half being left in the rough. Zucchari has done the same with his door-lintels and window-panels. The effect is an incongruity, not pleasing to the eye. [198] Merzario, _I Maestri Comacini_, Vol. II. ch. xxxviii. p. 420. BOOK IV ITALIAN-GOTHIC, AND RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTS CHAPTER I THE SECESSION OF THE PAINTERS