In the lovely little town of Sirmione, right on Lake Garda, there stands a rather unique building. A rare example of medieval port fortification, Scaliger Castle, or Castello Scaligero, was begun in 1277 by Mastino della Scala and work was continued in three phases into the fifteenth century.
Why not find a vacation villa rental on the Garda lake and spend a pleasant afternoon exploring the grounds of this magnificent structure before descending into the historic centre of Sirmione below and grabbing something to eat in a local restaurant?
Why not find a vacation villa rental on the Garda lake and spend a pleasant afternoon exploring the grounds of this magnificent structure before descending into the historic centre of Sirmione below and grabbing something to eat in a local restaurant?
The castle stands at a strategic place at the entrance to the south-east of the lake, on a peninsula. A moat surrounds and the castle can only be entered by two drawbridges making it a perfect structure for protection against enemies. Part of a defensive network surrounding Verona, the castle was key to their protection against rivals in Milan and later came under the control of the Venetian inland empire. Despite the fact that it remained an extremely important fort, it never became the residence of the court which limited its growth and prestige. After a fortification was built at nearby Peschiera, the castle lost its military significance and came to be used as a storage depot.
In the 20th century, it was given to the state and is now a tourist and heritage site. Due to the work and aid of Architectural Monuments, the castle has been restored to its original splendour and thousands of tourists come to visit each day.
The castle itself is a treat to explore with its rich architectural history visible at every turn as well as stunning views over Sirmione, the aquamarine waters and plant-life of Lake Garda and the mountains visible in the distance. Inside the main room, a small museum is housed with local finds from the Roman era and a few medieval artefacts. Stopping here before or after exploring will enrich your experience of the castle.
Literally not one to be missed as you have to pass through a castle drawbridge in order to enter the historic town centre, Scaliger Castle is a unique and wonderful place to visit for the views it offers, the architectural and historical heritage and its central location. Make sure to find the time to pop by if you are visiting the Lake Garda area and then head into Sirmione where there are plenty of other things to do.
The castle itself is a treat to explore with its rich architectural history visible at every turn as well as stunning views over Sirmione, the aquamarine waters and plant-life of Lake Garda and the mountains visible in the distance. Inside the main room, a small museum is housed with local finds from the Roman era and a few medieval artefacts. Stopping here before or after exploring will enrich your experience of the castle.
Literally not one to be missed as you have to pass through a castle drawbridge in order to enter the historic town centre, Scaliger Castle is a unique and wonderful place to visit for the views it offers, the architectural and historical heritage and its central location. Make sure to find the time to pop by if you are visiting the Lake Garda area and then head into Sirmione where there are plenty of other things to do.
Photo credits
picture 1: Jakub Buza / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Manfred Heyde / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 1: Jakub Buza / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Manfred Heyde / CC BY-SA 3.0;