Sirmione Castle

Sirmione, Italy

Sirmione castle was built near the end of the 12th century as part of a defensive network surrounding Verona. The castle was maintained and extended first as part of the Veronese protection against their rivals in Milan and later under the control of the Venetian inland empire. The massive fortress is totally surrounded by water and has an inner porch which houses a Roman and Medieval lapidary. From the drawbridge, a staircase leads to the walkways above the walls, providing a marvellous view of the harbour that once sheltered the Scaliger fleet. The doors were fitted with a variety of locking systems, including a drawbridge for horses, carriages and pedestrians, a metal grate and, more recently, double hinged doors. Venice conquered Sirmione in 1405, immediately adopting provisions to render the fortress even more secure, fortifying its outer walls and widening the harbour.

Thanks to its strategical geographical location as a border outpost, Sirmione became a crucial defence and control garrison for the ruling nobles, retaining this function until the 16th century, when its role was taken up by Peschiera del Garda.

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Founded: 12th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

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4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Andrew Green (3 years ago)
Did not enter but viewing the outside in the sunshine was worth the visit. Sat in a restaurant nearby and enjoyed talking about the castle and it's construction and beautiful colours. Visit the inside maybe next time we visit this part of the lake.
Andrei Mamchenko (3 years ago)
I don’t think it is worth to come from a distant lake location to here honesty. We spent 1,5 hours reaching the castle and in the end we had a exhausting experience of crawling through very busy streets of the old city packed with people eating ice cream, making photos and just pushing each other. This is a beautiful place I think when no one is around
Carl Savill (3 years ago)
We were actually staying in a hotel inside the castle. When you arrive and walk thro' the main gate it's like a fairytale. With the narrow streets, beautiful food in the restaurant's and beautiful things in the shops. We were even treated to a lighting storm whilst we were here. Amazing. Well worth a visit or even better stay in a hotel here.
Kerry Elliott (3 years ago)
This was a fantastic place to visit . Children go free too. We visited Sirimone and enjoyed going up & around this amazing piece of hostory. Be warned you have one set of steps to go around the main first level which has great views, however to go right up in the top of the tower there are further steps too. But for an amazing 360° views its so worth it. Also the displays at the top help you know which direction certain towns around the Lake are too. You can also go out the back to where the boats would of come in on certain days/times so plan ahead and check the website.
Karen (3 years ago)
Awesome place to visit. Beautifully restored with amazing views. Lots of steps up to the keep but worth it when you get there. Worth reading the pamphlet that you are given as it explains the history and different parts.
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