Beseno Castle

Besenello, Italy

Beseno Castle occupies an entire hilltop dominating the Valle dell'Adige, between Rovereto and Trento. It is the largest fortified complex in Trentino and today a most fascinating showcase for exhibitions and shows.

Many historical battles, from the wars between fractions with the Veronesi in the 12th and 13th centuries to the battle of 1487 between Trentino troops and the Venetians, as well as the armed battles between the French revolutionists and the Austrians in the two world wars, took place in this fortress. In 1973 the Trapp counts donated Castel Beseno to the Autonomous Province of Trento which carried out extensive re-construction works.The large lunated ramparts distinguishing Castel Beseno go back to the 16th century. The main doorway had a drawbridge and when entering the castle you can still see three gunports in the first courtyard.

Besides its grandeur this castle captures the visitors' attention because of its evocative and fascinating atmosphere. Temporary exhibitions, cultural events and period costume pageants are held here, in the exceptional scenario of the vast Campo dei Tornei (Tournament Field) which is currently a well-groomed garden.  In the large square the gunpowder deposit house now holds a room for visitor information and audiovisual projections. To the side you can see the clock tower and the hayloft. Beyond the central part of the Castle you reach the castle dwellers' residence. The feudal complex originally was made up by three turreted nuclei on the two extreme rises of the hill. The Casa del Vescovo (House of the Bishop) and Palazzo nuovo (New Palace) are located in the third nucleus.

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Address

Strada Statale 350 43, Besenello, Italy
See all sites in Besenello

Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

More Information

www.cultura.trentino.it
www.visittrentino.info

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Rovereto Castle (6,9 km)


Verona Amphitheatre (55,4 km)
Scaliger Tombs (54,9 km)
Juliet's House (55,1 km)
Castelvecchio (55,4 km)
Trento Cathedral (15,1 km)
Roman Theatre (54,4 km)
Ponte Pietra (54,4 km)
Palazzo del Capitaniato (54,5 km)
Basilica Palladiana (54,5 km)

User Reviews

Alberto Marcato (9 months ago)
Lovely place. Good for family
Andrea Venturini (9 months ago)
We have spent our afternoon at this castle. It's very beautiful. There are some medieval shapes that you can use for taking pictures. The kids can have some fun with some medieval toys. The panorama is also very beautiful.
Mohamed Soubhi Dachan (10 months ago)
A very beautiful and large castle of medieval period well noted for the strange role from the people of Trento whom defect the Serenissima (Venetian extended Republic) republic by stopping them in taking more land in Trentino. Amazing view and there are many historical armored battle clothes , medieval army equipment etc..
Beatriz Eugenia Figueroa Mariscal (12 months ago)
Really Cool Landscape from the Castle and Nice ,Friendly people . Totaly recomend the place. You would find down hill a Restaurant with delicious Meal and Wine. And good price.p
Michele Zilli (16 months ago)
Beautiful castle to visit restored in a wonderful way. The entrance ticket is ok, 7 euro, but you can buy a pass to all the other castles in the region. We spent a few hours visiting with kids and had a lot of fun, you can try and wear medieval armors. Inside there is a small bar with hit sandwiches, very good, and local beers.
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Czocha Castle began as a stronghold, on the Czech-Lusatian border. Its construction was ordered by Wenceslaus I of Bohemia, in the middle of the 13th century (1241–1247). In 1253 castle was handed over to Konrad von Wallhausen, Bishop of Meissen. In 1319 the complex became part of the dukedom of Henry I of Jawor, and after his death, it was taken over by another Silesian prince, Bolko II the Small, and his wife Agnieszka. Origin of the stone castle dates back to 1329.

In the mid-14th century, Czocha Castle was annexed by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. Then, between 1389 and 1453, it belonged to the noble families of von Dohn and von Kluks. Reinforced, the complex was besieged by the Hussites in the early 15th century, who captured it in 1427, and remained in the castle for unknown time (see Hussite Wars). In 1453, the castle was purchased by the family of von Nostitz, who owned it for 250 years, making several changes through remodelling projects in 1525 and 1611. Czocha's walls were strengthened and reinforced, which thwarted a Swedish siege of the complex during the Thirty Years War. In 1703, the castle was purchased by Jan Hartwig von Uechtritz, influential courtier of Augustus II the Strong. On August 17, 1793, the whole complex burned in a fire.

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After World War II, the castle was ransacked several times, both by soldiers of the Red Army, and Polish thieves, who came to the so-called Recovered Territories from central and eastern part of the country. Pieces of furniture and other goods were stolen, and in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the castle was home to refugees from Greece. In 1952, Czocha was taken over by the Polish Army. Used as a military vacation resort, it was erased from official maps. The castle has been open to the public since September 1996 as a hotel and conference centre. The complex was featured in several movies and television series. Recently, the castle has been used as the setting of the College of Wizardry, a live action role-playing game (LARP) that takes place in their own universe and can be compared to Harry Potter.

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