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

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jonathan Schröder (7 months ago)
Very impressive castle with lots of things to see for young and old. You can even try on a medieval helmet and harness.
Finiarel 3 (8 months ago)
Fantastic castle! And what a view! And there were some people disguised with medieval clothes, pretending to fight with swords!
Cecilia Wang (8 months ago)
Mesmerizing!!! Such a cool place, unbelievable view, everything is well preserved and well designed, very friendly staff too! Not an easy drive up to the parking lot, but so worth it.
Howard Jarvis (8 months ago)
Stunning views from the battlements, well retold history including a little film in different languages including English, even a cafe.
Julia Kiwa (9 months ago)
It’s great. I mean it’s awesome! I have never seen castle so well preserved and taken care of, where there are no major museums. I’m not a fan of castles where I find museums that have nothing to do with the castle itself, and this one doesn’t! So I’m super thrilled. It has weapons rooms with weapons, and scenes recreate from the history, and so many details in the rooms of how everything looked like. Very cool! Just awesome. To all people who love castles - this one worth it!
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