Antonio Falzon

[1] The earliest known historical reference to him is a series of interviews dated 25 to 29 April 1538, when he introduced himself to council members of the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg as a skilled artist, architect and site foreman who had previously worked in the service of Charles V.[1] The councilors were impressed at Falzon's expertise in military engineering, especially since he was familiar with the Italian system of bastion fortifications which had revolutionized European military architecture.

Work on the Burgbasteien [de] (also called Fazuni-Bastion after the architect) in the vicinity of the Nuremberg Castle began by July 1538 and were completed in late 1544[1] or 1545,[2][3][4] and they are possibly the earliest example of bastioned fortifications in the Italian style ever to be built north of the Alps.

[1] The last recorded reference to Falzon is in a report dated 21 April 1555, when he requested money from the city council members after being robbed in Italy.

[1] The Piast Castle, which was built in 1547–53 in the Duchy of Brzeg and is now part of Poland, is sometimes also attributed to Falzon due to stylistic similarities with the Ottheinrichsbau.

[1] His surname is rendered in many different variants in German archival sources, including Faissant, Fazuni, Vazuni, Falsone, Vascani and Faggioni, and his real name likely was Falzon or Fauczun.