[1] Following Napoleonic suppressions the convent was turned into barracks and, in 1812, the production of small arms and ammunition was started.
[citation needed] Thousands of Carcano rifles were manufactured on assembly lines, including all the M91 TS (Special Troops) carbines made between 1898 and 1919.
[2] The military facility was attacked by a massive USAAF air raid on 2 March 1945, during World War II, that wrought damage all over the city.
The Arsenal was leveled and the church of St. Afra (now rebuilt as Saint Angela Merici) in "Via dell'Arsenale" (now via Francesco Crispi) was directly hit and collapsed, killing 21 people[3] who had sought refuge there.
Following the post-Cold War reorganization of the Italian Army, the Brigata was disbanded and the barracks were left empty.