Bevilacqua Castle is considered one of the finest examples of its kind on Veronese territory. It was erected in 1336. Guglielmo Bevilacqua and his son, Francesco, were both commissioned by the Della Scala (Lords of Verona) to erect it. Originally erected for purely military purposes, the castle was damaged during the period of League of Cambrai and lost its strategic importance during the reign of the Venetian Republic.
In 1532 the famous architect Michele Sanmicheli transformed it into a country-house. The castle was burnt by the Austrians in 1848, and its subsequent restoration added the neo-gothic elements to the structure visible today, including the battlements.
During the Second World War it became a German Military outpost, before being handed over to the salesian Fathers up to 1966, the year in which it caught fire once more, before being sold to private investors. Thanks to careful restoration the castle has regained its former splendour and can be visited throughout the year.
Bevilacqua castle is now the backdrop for plays, concerts and suggestive Medieval Pageants such as the Medieval Spring and New Year Festival. It also houses a restaurant and a renowned banqueting hall and conference centre which offers every modern facility in a setting steeped in tradition and history.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.