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Trasimeno's castles
Trasimeno's castles
There are many castles all around Trasimeno.
Many of them are in the center of small towns while others are isolated and in ruins.
Castiglione del Lago, Passignano, Magione, Maggiore and Polvese isles have all a castle, while Zocco Castle, Montali Castle and others are on hilltops.
The Guglielmi Castle in Maggiore Isle is not ancient, as it was built in the late 1800s on the foundation of an old Franciscan church, and for many years was a well frequented place in the Trasimeno area.
Lying in ruins during the last decades, until 1998 it was still visitable, then it was closed because the structure became dangerous.
Now it is being restored by a new proprietor, but the work is far from completed.
Between Monte del Lago and S.Feliciano there is the old Zocco castle, ruined for decades.
It is privately owned, but sadly nobody tends to its maintenance.
This is one of the biggest castles of the area and the only one that, inside its sandstone walls, has a still untouched medieval keep.
Some years ago it was probably inhabited, as there is a building fitted with an TV antenna, but now its only entry is closed.
The best preserved part is the eastern and the southern walls (here illustrated) one, while the rest of the walls are mostly demolished or fallen down.
One of the southern towers has two enormous cracks with the middle.
The Vernazzano leaning tower (around 20 m in height) perhaps leans even more than the famous leaning tower of Pisa.
This unique remnant of an ancient castle was built before 1089, when the whole castle was donated by Marchiones family to the monastery of Città di Castello.
In 1202 began under control of Perugia and so this city gained the control of Northern Trasimeno.
It was built on M.te Castiglione, near two torrents.
The castle and the surrounding settlement at Vernazzano, were damaged by wars in 1400s and two century later, by a strong earthquake (followed by damaging after-shocks).
Erosion of the foundations by torrents caused the tower to lean in the eighteenth century.
Vernazzano was rebuilt in the valley, away from this site which had been effective for territorial control, but was less well suited for living in.
The Leaning Tower has therefore been abandoned for almost 300 years.
To avoid its collapse, a steel reinforcement was recently added, with plates and wires even thicker than 2-3 cm.
The Tower is not well known, being located away from the main streets.
(It is visible from far away, but not easily accessible).
So it can continue to exist approximately 1000 years after its original construction.
Source: CIA Factbook, Wikipedia
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