Castello dei Vicari, Medieval castle in Lari, Italy.
Castello dei Vicari is a medieval hilltop castle in Lari, Tuscany, with stone defensive walls, three entrance gates, and a courtyard that contains a small chapel. Several halls spread across different levels, and underground spaces beneath the structure were used for detention and trials.
The castle was built in the early 12th century and changed hands several times between Pisa and Florence over the following centuries. After Florence took definitive control in 1406, the fortress became the seat of appointed governors who ruled the area on the city's behalf.
For centuries, the castle was the center of local governance, and its halls still carry that weight through the objects and documents on display. Visitors can walk through rooms where real administrative decisions were once made for the surrounding communities.
Getting to the castle requires walking up a steep path through the old town, so sturdy shoes are a good idea. Guided tours are available and help make sense of the rooms and underground areas, which can otherwise be hard to read on your own.
The underground chambers were used as prison cells during witch trials, and scratched inscriptions left by prisoners can still be seen on the walls today. These markings are a rare physical trace of what happened inside the fortress during those years.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
