Lonato Castle

Lonato, Italy

The Lonato medieval castle 'La Rocca' rises on a hill which dominates the southern part of Lake Garda and is one of the most impressive castles in all of Lombardy. Set inland, overlooking the ancient town of Lonato, the Rocca is an imposing structure nearly 180 meters long and 45 meters wide, complete with drawbridge!

Throughout the years and centuries, Lonato del Garda was ruled by various peoples and families who fought each other over the fortified town which had a strategically important defense tower. The fortress belonged to the counts of Montichiari, the Scaliger family, and in 1376 it was the Visconti who expanded the fortified walls to protect the entire town. Today, the medieval Rocca of Lonato houses the town’s ornithology museum, “Gustavo Carlotto”.

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Address

Largo Papa 17, Lonato, Italy
See all sites in Lonato

Details

Founded: 10th century AD
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

More Information

www.roccadilonato.it

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


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Santa Maria Maggiore Church (10 km)
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Piazza della Loggia (22,4 km)
Broletto Palace (22,3 km)
Rocca Castle (54,4 km)
Mantua Cathedral (41,5 km)
Basilica of Sant'Andrea (41,5 km)
Historic Centre of Mantua (41,6 km)
Rotonda di San Lorenzo (41,6 km)

User Reviews

Peter Brunner (3 months ago)
Great view
Jennifer B (3 months ago)
Views from the Rocca towards Lake Garda are amazing and the house of the Podesta is a historical jewel well worth visiting.
Igor Karpekin (4 months ago)
Would be a five-star, but there is absolutely nothing inside and... you have to pay for it! But, to be fair, the fortress is kept in very good shape. Great views. Quite interesting exposition of birds, but I can't name these 3 rooms a "museum". There is also a modern building inside, which i assume can be rented for weddings/other events.
Belinda Gold (7 months ago)
Stunning location, excellent food
Ben Carter (2 years ago)
Visited for a friend's wedding and have to say it's an amazing location for a wedding. Beautiful surroundings and the staff were excellent. The food was great and the place looked amazing at night. Big marquee for a large group with a large dancefloor and cocktail bar. It truly was a great day.
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Het Steen

Het Steen is a medieval fortress in the old city centre of Antwerp. Built after the Viking incursions in the early Middle Ages as the first stone fortress of Antwerp, Het Steen is Antwerp's oldest building and used to be its oldest urban centre.

Previously known as Antwerpen Burcht (fortress), Het Steen gained its current name in around 1520, after significant rebuilding under Charles V. The fortress made it possible to control the access to the Scheldt, the river on whose bank it stands. It was used as a prison between 1303 and 1827. The largest part of the fortress, including dozens of historic houses and the oldest church of the city, was demolished in the 19th century when the quays were straightened to stop the silting up of the Scheldt. The remaining building, heavily changed, contains a shipping museum, with some old canal barges displayed on the quay outside.

In 1890 Het Steen became the museum of archeology and in 1952 an annex was added to house the museum of Antwerp maritime history, which in 2011 moved to the nearby Museum Aan de Stroom. Here you’ll also find a war memorial to the Canadian soldiers in WWII.

There are some beautiful plaques on the back side of the Steen Castle at Antwerp. Canadian visitors will especially want to see the plaques thanking the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry for their part in the liberation of Antwerp, in 1944.

At the entrance to Het Steen is a bas-relief of Semini, above the archway, around 2nd century. Semini is the Scandinavian God of youth and fertility (with symbolic phallus). A historical plaque near Het Steen explains that women of the town appealed to Semini when they desired children; the god was reviled by later religious clergy. Inhabitants of Antwerp previously referred to themselves as 'children of Semini'.

At the entrance bridge to the castle is a statue of a giant and two humans. It depicts the giant Lange Wapper who used to terrorise the inhabitants of the city in medieval times.

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