The Guaita fortress is the oldest of the three towers constructed on Monte Titano, and the most famous. It was built in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison. It is one of the three towers depicted on both the national flag and coat of arms. It was registered as one of the World Heritage Sites in 2008.
Guaita was rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century and in the 16th century has been covered with a sloping roof. It is called the Rocca Guaita and, within its solid walls, protected by double walls (the external wall with merlons and truncated towers at the corners), the population found refuge during sieges.
The upper entrance door, which can be reached by a staircase, is protected by a small wooden construction of 1481. The courtyard contains some pieces of artillery from the Second World War: two mortars, a gift from Vittorio Emanuele II, two 75mm canons fired by the Guardians of the Rocca during national festivities, a gift of Vittorio Emanuele III.
References:Trenčín Castle is relatively large renovated castle, towering on a steep limestone cliff directly above the city of Trenčín. It is a dominant feature not only of Trenčín, but also of the entire Považie region. The castle is a national monument.
History of the castle cliff dates back to the Roman Empire, what is proved by the inscription on the castle cliff proclaiming the victory of Roman legion against Germans in the year 179.
Today’s castle was probably built on the hill-fort. The first proven building on the hill was the Great Moravian rotunda from the 9th century and later there was a stone residential tower, which served to protect the Kingdom of Hungary and the western border. In the late 13th century the castle became a property of Palatine Matúš Csák, who became Mr. of Váh and Tatras.
Matúš Csák of Trenčín built a tower, still known as Matthew’s, which is a dominant determinant of the whole building.