Mesocco Castle
Mesocco Castle | |
---|---|
Castello di Mesocco | |
m above the sea | |
Site information | |
Condition | ruin |
Site history | |
Built | Before 1219 |
Mesocco Castle is a ruined
The Castello ruins are among the largest in the canton. Originally the seat of the noble
History
A small fortified church, the Church of S. Carpoforo, was built on the hill top around the 7th century as a
The first ruler of the castle was the local
Trivulzio had been sent by Milan to acquire the castle and strengthen their claims in the strategic valley. After he paid a deposit on the castle and occupied it, he refused the pay the remainder of the agreed upon price of 16,000
In 1496 he signed a treaty with the Grey League to support them with weapons and supplies in the event of a war, which he was called to do during the Swabian War and Musso War. Despite the extensive fortifications, in 1526 the newly formed Three Leagues ordered the castle abandoned and moved the administrative center of the valley to Palast Trivulzio in Roveredo.
The castle fell into ruin until 1925-26 when it was excavated and reinforced. A further project in 1986-90 restored a polygonal tower and northern and north-western walls.
Castle site
The castle sprawls over the entire top of a small mountain. The walls form an irregular pentagon with five towers. The interior of the castle was home to the count's family and his soldiers as well as armories, a foundry, a bakery, a dairy, a cistern and a charnel house. The church of S. Carpoforo also stood inside the castle walls.[2] At the foot of the castle is the Church of Santa Maria al Castello. The church was first mentioned in 1219. It houses several frescoes from the workshop of Seregnesi from the mid-15th century.
Gallery
-
Plan of the castle
-
Polygonal tower and church tower
-
Interior of the church
-
Painted designs on the walls
-
General view
-
Overhead aerial image
See also
- List of castles in Switzerland
References
- ^ "Kantonsliste A-Objekte". KGS Inventar (in German). Federal Office of Civil Protection. 2009. Archived from the original on 2 September 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ a b Mesocco (Burg) in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
- ^ a b Swiss castles.ch (in German) accessed 5 May 2016
- ^ a b "Castello Di Mesocco". www.burgenwelt.ch. Retrieved 12 April 2017.