The most interesting monument to visit in Varese Ligure is the ancient castle which is now a private property. It was built in 15th century and it was the abode of leaders of the town. The building took a part of an original defence structure of the town. In the Middle Ages was created a Borgo Rotondo (Round Hamlet) and the Castle completed the defence circle. Nowadays the Castle became an exhibition area where you can see the exhibitions of the local artists.
The Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg is situated in a strategic area on a rocky spur overlooking the Upper Rhine Plain, it was used by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years' War when it was abandoned. From 1900 to 1908 it was rebuilt at the behest of the German kaiser Wilhelm II. Today it is a major tourist site, attracting more than 500,000 visitors a year.
The first records of a castle built by the Hohenstaufens date back to 1147. The fortress changed its name to Koenigsburg (royal castle) around 1157. The castle was handed over to the Tiersteins by the Habsburgs following its destruction in 1462. They rebuilt and enlarged it, installing a defensive system designed to withstand artillery fire.
The fortification work accomplished over the 15th century did not suffice to keep the Swedish artillery at bay during the Thirty Years War, and the defences were overrun.