User Reviews
Triora is a picturesque village in a lovely setting of wooded valleys well into the Ligurian hills of north-west Italy. Triora is officially classified among the most beautiful villages in Italy.
The centuries-old village of Triora is at the foot of the Trono Mountain, overlooking the Argentina valley, where it preserves almost intact its medieval appearance. In the heart of the village you will enjoy exploring the ancient alleys, arched passages and steep pathways of what is claimed to be one of the oldest villages in Liguria.
Triora was strongly marked by the events arising from the witchcraft trial that involved many women of the village. In the small town center the Ethnographic Museum of Witchcraft has been set up to reconstruct the ancient rural life and the records of the famous trial of 1588, still much discussed by writers and critics, and immortalizing the memory of an event that has been likened in importance to the famous Salem witch trials.
The Collegiate Church of Triora, dating from the 16th century, was extensively renovated in the late18th century. Inside there are remarkable works of art, among which a painting on wood by the Sienese painter Taddeo di Bartolo (1362-1422) stands out - he was active in Liguria towards the end of the 14th century, and in 1397 painted a grand picture of “The Baptism of Christ' for the Collegiate Church.
Close to the Parish Church is the Chapel of Saint John the Baptist. In this small chapel there are sculptures by Anton Maria Maragliano (1664-1741), the creator of a beautiful wooden crucifix, and other works by Taddeo di Bartolo. Anton Maria Maragliano enjoyed wide respect and esteem by eminent men of his time.
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.