terminated in a steeply sloped (30°) transverse bulkhead that reduced to at the lower deck where it was continued down to the inner bottom by a bulkhead. Forward of this bulkhead was a 20 mm splinter belt that continued all the way to the bow. The main armor belt dropped down to the main deck from the upper deck abreast the aft turret to reduce weight. This "step" was protected by plates. A transverse bulkhead separated the rear turret and the ship's sides. The main part of the armored citadel was closed off by a 230 mm forward bulkhead and a 180 mm rear bulkhead, both of homogeneous armor. Splinter armor thick covered the upper portion of the citadel. The forecastle deck was 25 mm thick while the upper deck was over the citadel. Below it, the 50 mm middle deck acted as a splinter deck. The upper deck was 100 mm thick above the 220 mm waterline belt extension. The bottom edge of the forward splinter belt met with a arched deck. Another arched deck of the same thickness covered the stern aft of the rear transverse bulkhead. The main gun turrets had faces thick with sides and roofs 230 mm thick. thick plates protected the gun ports and bulkheads separated each gun. The barbettes were thick above the upper deck. The MK-4 turrets had 100 mm faces and 65 mm sides. Their barbettes were 100 mm in thickness, but reduced to 65 mm on their inboard sides. 100 mm of armor protected the faces, sides and backs of the MZ-14 turrets for the 100 mm guns, but their roofs and barbettes were 100 mm thick. The forward conning tower had walls 425 mm thick while the rear conning tower had only . The flag bridge in the tower-mast had of protection. The torpedo defense system was designed to withstand torpedoes with warheads equivalent to of TNT. The ships were intended to be able to remain afloat with any five adjacent compartments flooded or with three torpedo hits and the destruction of the unarmored above-water side. The Pugliese system protected of the ships' midsection. At the aft end was a multi-bulkhead protection system that extended another to the rear from the Pugliese system. The depth of the system was amidships, but it reduced to fore and aft. The outer plating ranged from in thickness while the inner bottom was