User Reviews
Pietra di Vobbia Castle is a rare example of contamination between the work of men and nature, the Castle of Pietra overlooks the Scrivia Valley. An unconquerable fortress, it is built between two rock towers. Recently restored, you can visit it today in all its ancient charm.
Embedded between two rock towers and perfectly integrated with nature, the castle of Pietra di Vobbia has retained the typical atmosphere of the impregnable medieval fortresses, a symbol of the feudal power of its rulers.The castle was built around the year 1000 to preside over the road connecting Vobbia to Canton Island, Via del Sale (Salt Road) to Postumia road.
Its name originates from Opizzone della Pietra, a family in charge of the feud. You can see only a part of it from the valley, and this already tells a lot about how difficult it was to seize it. Like in 1200, when the Republic of Genoa itself had to step in to rescue two men held captive by the Opizzone family. From here, in fact you can control the roads of four provinces (Genoa, Alessandria, Pavia and Piacenza) and, thanks to a clever reference system, a message could quickly be sent from the port of Genoa to Tortona.Its peculiar location made its restoration a complicated affair too; started in 1970, restoration work has now been completed and everyone can visit it.
References:The Petersberg Citadel is one of the largest extant early-modern citadels in Europe and covers the whole north-western part of the Erfurt city centre. It was built after 1665 on Petersberg hill and was in military use until 1963. It dates from a time when Erfurt was ruled by the Electors of Mainz and is a unique example of the European style of fortress construction. Beneath the citadel is an underground maze of passageways that can be visited on guided tours organised by Erfurt Tourist Office.
The citadel was originally built on the site of a medieval Benedictine Monastery and the earliest parts of the complex date from the 12th century. Erfurt has also been ruled by Sweden, Prussia, Napoleon, the German Empire, the Nazis, and post-World War II Soviet occupying forces, and it was part of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). All of these regimes used Petersberg Citadel and had an influence on its development. The baroque fortress was in military use until 1963. Since German reunification in 1990, the citadel has undergone significant restoration and it is now open to the public as a historic site.