Malpaga Castle

Malpaga, Italy

An early medieval castle in Malpaga had been in ruins after a raid in the 1440s. In 1456, the condottiero and nobleman Bartolomeo Colleoni acquired the ruined castle from the commune of Bergamo. He enlarged and enriched it not only as a military base for his troops, but also as a seigneurial residence, in the typical Italian Renaissance fashion.

The castle layout is square, surrounded by two lines of walls and a ditch. The first line, now disappeared, included the stables and the barracks. The walls are characterized by merlons. The castle's internal walls are almost entirely frescoed, although some of them have deteriorated or been vandalized. Some frescoes celebrate the 1474 visit of King Christian I of Denmark and the sumptuous hospitality given him by Bartolomeo Colleoni, including banquets, hunting expeditions and tournaments. They were commissioned by Bartolomeo's heirs around 1520-1530 to celebrate the family's most famous member, and are attributed to Il Romanino. On the first floor are 17th-century frescoes of lesser quality.

Aside from Christian I's visit, the frescoes also depict allegories, such as that of Silence (an allusion to the secrets which should be kept by the castle's personnel), and the idealized portraits of Colleoni and the king. In the courtyard, also attributed to Romanino, is the depiction of the Battle of Molinella (or Riccardina), fought by Colleoni in 1467 near Bologna. Another 15th-century fresco of the Madonna with Child, by an unknown artist, is found in Colleoni's private studio.

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Address

Via Marconi 20, Malpaga, Italy
See all sites in Malpaga

Details

Founded: 15th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Massimo Caltagirone (4 years ago)
Worthwhile a visit, it’s among the few remaining castle with an original interior structure and wall painting. Tickets on the expensive side…
Siu Long (4 years ago)
Beautiful castle covered in frescos depicting the most relevant events in the life of Bartolomeo Colleoni. The visit can be booked in advance through the website of the castle. By using the App "Malpaga Castle Experience" is possible to listen to the audio guide (The code that unlocks the guide is inserted at the entrance of the castle - at the ticket counter).
Erik Berendsen (5 years ago)
Dicht, was nergens aangegeven. It was closed, that's okay, but no sign or nothing, bit much disappointing
cneejr (6 years ago)
Ate dinner and stayed in hotel here. Delicious food, nice rustic room, very nice breakfast. Would come again.
Mandana BG (6 years ago)
A beautiful medieval castle. You have the opportunity to try on medieval clothes.
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