Torre Fiorenzana

Grono, Switzerland

Torre Fiorenzana is a tower house built in the late 12th century for the local de Grono family. The first mention of the family is 1219. They appear again in local records in 1286 and 1288. The Canon Bernardinus of Grono and the Provost Heinrich appear to have been the last male members of the family. By 1314 it was owned by the powerful Lords of Sax-Misox and a branch of the family inhabited it. In the 14th century they were signing documents as de Saco de Grono and in the 15th century were de Saco de Fiorenzana. According to tradition, in 1406 the powerful leader of the family, Albert von Sax, was murdered at Fiorenzana.

In the 16th century the tower was locally owned. The coat of arms of the Three Leagues was painted on it at that time. Over the following centuries, it was inhabited by a number of local families and today remains privately owned. The exterior was studied and repaired in 1978.

Castle site

The castle is located in the center of Grono village. It is a five-story, rectangular tower. The crow-stepped gables along the roof were added by the Lords of Sax-Misox in the 14th century. The original high entrance was located on the third floor and is still visible.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

Torr 196A, Grono, Switzerland
See all sites in Grono

Details

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

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Alberto Laganá (2 years ago)
Optimal
Peter Aeschlimann (3 years ago)
Beautiful exhibition tower, the different floors are reached by high and narrow iron stairs.
Herciu Dobos Mihai (3 years ago)
Dario Crespi (5 years ago)
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.