Monfalcone Castle, locally known as Rocca di Monfalcone or Castello di Monfalcone, lies on a mountain north of the town with the same name. Originally a prehistoric fortified village, the site was occupied by a Roman observation tower, guarding the road from the town of Aquileia to Trieste, and later by a fortress dating back to the reign of Theoderic the Great (around 490 AD).
As a stronghold of the Patriarch of Aquileia, overseeing the County of Duino, the castle was long contended for by the Patriarch and the Count of Gorizia, but was also a 'free commune' holding a seat in the Friulian Parliament.
Having surrendered on 14 July 1420 to the troops of the Venetian doge, Tommaso Mocenigo, it became an important outpost for the protection of the Venetian mainland against the Count of Gorizia and the Austrian Emperor and a defence against the attacks of the Turks.
In 1797 it came under Austrian rule and on 9 June 1915 it was occupied by the Italian army.
The castle is a square keep surrounded by a circular wall and a low earthen wall.
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.