There are over 300 castles, strongholds and fortresses in Trentino, a land whose particular morphological characteristics made it well suited to the construction of such forts
The Castles of Trentino
There are more than 300 castles and fortresses in Trentino, a territory that thanks to its particular morphology offered the possibility of building these fortresses.
There are four provincial castles:
- the Buonconsiglio Castle
- the Stenico Castle
- the Beseno Castle
- the Thun Castle
Restructured and open to the public, the became museums and places for exhibitions, allowing visitors to live again the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, the splendour of the Princes Bishops and of the past.
Stenico Castle
A fascinating fortress with its treasures, between the Garda lake and the Dolomites
Castled on a rock overlooking the Giudicarie Esteriori area, it is the symbol of the power of the Princes Bishops of Trento in this region. It is a fortress of medieval origin, that from the thirteenth century became a property of the Princes Bishops and the summer residence of the officer that managed the territory. During the centuries, the Princes Bishops enlarged, changed and embellished the castle, which today looks like a well-structured building.
Buonconsiglio Castle
The sumptuous residence of the princes bishops
The Buonconsiglio Castle is the largest and most important monumental complex of the Trentino Alto Adige region. It was the residence of the prince-bishops of Trento from the 13th century to the end of the 18th century, and is composed of a series of buildings of different eras, enclosed by walls and positioned slightly higher than the city. At the extreme south of the complex is the Torre Aquila, within which is conserved the famous Cycle of the Months, one of the most fascinating secular pictorial cycles of the late Middle Ages.
Thun Castle
The splendid residence of a noble family of Val di Non
Castel Thun, imposing and austere, was the seat of one the most important family of Trentino.
The castle stands on a hill dominating the town of Vigo di Ton, with a panoramic view over the whole of the Non Valley. It is a complex system of fortifications, made up of towers, walls, bastions, parapets and trenches, and owes its present appearance to modifications during the 16th Century. The Porta Spagnola, a massive gate, also dating from this century, leads via a drawbridge to the first courtyard. Facing it is the imposing baronial palace.
The spacious interior consists of a series of rooms in which the fine original furnishings and the family collection of paintings have survived. The most impressive and interesting room is the 16th Century Stanza del Vescovo (Bishop’s Chamber) that is panelled throughout in wood from the Stone Pine.
Beseno Castle
The biggest old fortress of the region, guarding the Valle dell'Adige
It has a medieval origin and has mainly a defensive purpose, stressed by both its strategic position - characterized by inaccessibility and a wide control from above - and its thick walls. The present aspect of a fortress of the Renaissance, with three big bastions for the fire-arms use, dates back to the great restoration made in the first half of Cinquecento.
