vacation travel & tour

Beautiful Castles in Italy

// March 16th, 2010 // Tourism places

Grand tower, crenellated castle, stone fortresses perched on rocky cliffs, romantic ruins, grand palazzos and many more. This is the image that comes to mind when imagining Castles Italy.
Italian political imbalance during the Middle Ages have left the countryside and cities full of testaments to the period of this turbulent time. Although the familiar castle formations found throughout Italy, the range of palaces, forts, towers and walls date from pre-Roman times along the way to the state-of-the-art “star” fortress of the gunpowder era.

Some young and old alike will love exploring these examples may be military, with a lot of fixed to former glory and others are still occupied by their royal family. Some castles are too damaged to be explored safely and should be viewed from a distance, but there are others who not only allowed the visit, merely allows you to stay. Medieval buffs and the kids will enjoy a visit to one of the castle which offers the performance period as banquets, balls and jousts.

Below is simply a small sample of the a lot of castles in Italy visit. There are probably hundreds more castles, forts cities and walled towns that will make a great daytrip or even overnight. Even a lot of theories open if you include villas and palaces are famous, but they are listed here all have a real court or other types of military installations at some point in their history. Many of the fort has a web site and the regional tourism board will be happy to provide you with information about the castles very good to visit during your trip.

1.The Castles of Italy: The North

The north of Italy had the awkward job of defending the mountain passes and the rich river valleys from the constant menace of invasion. Called for to defend their holdings from invading armies and rival families, the nobility built castles all over Northern Italy. Today some are in ruin but many have been restored to either their original design or fanciful 19th century creations. Either way at that place are still dozens, if not hundreds of castles in the regions of Valle d’Aosta, Lombardy and Trentino worth visiting.
Fenis Castle in Valle d’Aosta has several large crenellated (the teeth like stones at the top) towers and looks formidable even today under a backdrop of snowy peaks. Not only is it impressive from the outside, but the recently renovated interior houses fine displays of medieval art. Fenis is but one of several prominent castles in the tiny Valle d’Aosta with others including Verres, Montjovet and the fanciful reconstructions of Saint-Pierre  and Aymavilles.

In Lombardy, the Dukes of Milan are responsible for the impressive Castello Sforzesco located in the heart of the city. Named for the powerful Sforza Dukes that ruled Lombardy, the castle was crushed, rebuilt and restored several times. Over time the Duchy and its palace passed through French, Spanish and Austrian noble families, each using it for their own purposes, from a palace to an impregnable fortress. The castle was nearly demolished by rebelling citizens of Milan but restored to its former glory after Italian unification – including its distinctive round towers. Today the castle is a popular tourist attraction and has several permanent museum exhibits including Ancient and Renaissance art.

The area of Trentino – Alto Adige is famous for its many castles and one of the finest is in the within the city of Trento. The Castello del Buonconsiglio looms over the city, a prominent display of power by the Prince-Bishops who ruled Trento until 1803. Originally a severe looking fortress, the castle was constantly changed and expanded over the centuries, giving it a rambling appearance today. The oldest part, Castelvecchio still retains some fortress elements including the Augustus Tower. The most famous tower in the complex is the Aquila Tower, which houses the Cycle of Months, one of the finest Medieval fresco cycles still surviving. Between these two towers lies the Renaissance palace, Magno Palazzo that has an impressive series of frescoed loggias.

Luxuriously in the Tyrol is Castle Churburg, home to the Trapp family for the last 500 years and allows visits during the spring and summer. This 13th century castle was turned into a sumptuous residence by the time of the Renaissance and today still retains that appearance inside and out. The interior has well preserved rooms and halls including its signature arcades; it’s columns and arches decorated with the family trees of the castle‘s owners. Churburg is also home to the world’s largest private collection of arms and armor as well as the oldest surviving suit of armor, dating to 1365. The surrounding countryside allows for visits to alpine villages, high meadows and mountain hikes.

In the heart of the ancient city of Verona lies it’s red walled Castelvecchio, which along with the intact city walls, makes for an imposing scene. Like most castles in Italy every owner from the della Scala and Visconti families to the Venetian Republic and even Napoleon left their mark on the castle. Today visitors can take a walk along the fortified Ponte Scaligero or view medieval sculpture, weapons and works by Veronese artists within the castle museum.

The ruling d’Este family of Ferrara constructed an impressive display of power in the form of the Castello Estense. Not always popular with their citizens, the d’Este built their seat of authority to withstand both outside invasion as well as local uprisings. The centrally located castle is surrounded by a moat and four square towers and has an infamous dungeon used to house family enemies. By the 15th century the fortress was converted into a luxurious residence, complete with beautiful Renaissance frescoes adorning its Ducal chapel, game rooms and salons.

2. The Castles of Italy: Central Italy

The early lands of the Papal and Medieval city states are dotted with castles and city forts as this was a hotly contested region for centuries. The result is plenty of castles and walled hill towns to explore such as San Gimignano. Although it is not a castle it is a very popular medieval hill town known for its stone towers. The town fort was dismantled by the Medici, but the towers – built for both protection and prestige are evidence of the dangerous rivalries both in and outside the walls. Beside its unmistakable skyline, the town has several intact medieval gates along its walls.
n an attempt to protect itself from rival Florence, the city state of Siena constructed the fortified bastion of Monteriggioni. Over time the fort was transformed into a walled community, and to this day the town’s wall bristles with towers facing its sworn enemy. The town is still virtually intact, making it a great stop when traveling through the Chianti region and is home to a Medieval festival every July.

Eminent above the Umbrian hill town of Assisi lies the Rocca Maggiore, watching over the Spoleto valley even today in its ruined state. The original castle dates back to the late 12th century when the future Emperor Frederick II spent his youth here. Little remains of this castle as the current towers and most of the walls are from 14th and 15th century reconstructions. Today visitors can get an unbelievable view of the Umbrian countryside from its towers and makes for a dramatic picnic spot.

Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo has had a long and colorful history. Originally the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, it was later incorporated into the city’s Aurelian walls. Medieval popes turned the former tomb into their personal fortress, connected to the Vatican by a secret tunnel. This tunnel was used by Pope Clement VII and the entire Papal Curia to escape the sack of Rome in 1527. Later the castle was turned into a fort, with artillery emplacements and eventually a prison. Today the castle is a museum displaying aspects of the many lives of the building, including prison cells, a military museum and papal apartments.

In seldom visited Molise the Castello di Cerro al Volturno is perched high above the valley on a rocky promontory. This castle is known for its huge round towers and thick walls and was once a Benedictine abbey. It later became a private residence for members of the Colonna, Carafa and currently the Lombardi families

3.The Castles of Italy: The South

The southern regions of Italy have been left with the unmistakable mark of one of the most amazing men of Medieval Europe: The Emperor Frederick II, who left impressive castles and palaces all over his empire, especially southern Italy and Sicily. One such castle was the imposing of Castle of Bari, which Frederick renovated into a massive fortress. In the 15th and 16th centuries the castle became the home to Princess of Naples Isabella of Aragon and her daughter Bona Sforza, the future queen of Poland.

Frederick II’s unique Castel del Monte was inbuilt 1240 with elements of classical, gothic and Arab decoration and is the most famous of his many castles in Puglia. This distinctive castle, once nearly a ruin has been thoroughly restored and designated an UNESCO world heritage site due to its unique octagonal design and possible occult and alchemical symbolism.

The city of Naples can boast of three amazing castles (and a royal palace) all within walking distance. Castel dell’Ovo (Castle of the egg) is an imposing mass that juts out into the Bay of Naples that has a history steeped in legend. The Castle is built upon the ruins of a Roman fortress and prison which held the last Roman Emperor of the West in 476. attributed to Virgil, who is said to have hidden an egg within a secret chamber of the castle, so long as the egg remained unbroken, Naples would be safe. The present condition of the castle is due to numerous rebuilds and expansions after centuries of sieges and bombardments. The castle has recently undergone renovation but only parts are open to the public.

Castel Nuovo, as well known as “Maschio Angioino” was built by King Charles of Anjou but retains little of the original 13th century structure. The Kingdom’s successive waves of Aragonese and Bourbon rules all left their mark on the Castle, with its most prominent feature being the five round towers and triumphal arch entranceway. On the Vomero hill overlooking the harbor castles of Naples is the Castle Sant’Elmo, also built by King Charles and used as a military installation until 1976. The castle has underground jails worth visiting but is not always open to the public.

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