Castello Brown, Medieval castle in Portofino, Italy
Located on a hill overlooking the harbor, Castello Brown features stone walls, defensive towers, and Mediterranean gardens with cypress trees.
The castle began as a Roman watchtower in the 3rd century before its transformation into a Genoese fortress in 1425 under Tomaso Fregoso.
The castle draws visitors for its art exhibitions and cultural events, serving as a museum that displays the intersection of military and residential architecture.
Visitors reach the castle by walking up a sloped path from Portofino's harbor, with the entrance fee including access to all exhibition areas.
The castle structure incorporates church reliefs from the 1880s, integrated into its walls and terraces during its conversion from fortress to residence.
Location: Portofino
Inception: 1425
Address: Molo Umberto I
GPS coordinates: 44.30200,9.21403
Latest update: May 13, 2025 03:31
Liguria stretches as a narrow coastal strip between the Maritime Alps and the Apennines, combining maritime tradition with mountainous interior. Along the Riviera di Ponente in the west lie towns such as Dolceacqua with its medieval Doria Castle, the fortified town of Noli, and the Hanbury Botanical Gardens near La Mortola. The Riviera di Levante in the east features the Cinque Terre National Park with its coastal villages, Portofino with Castello Brown, and the Baia del Silenzio in Sestri Levante. Finalborgo preserves its medieval structure within the walls of Finale Ligure, while Vernazza with the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia above the harbor belongs to the Cinque Terre. Inland valleys such as Valle Argentina lead to mountain villages that have maintained their historic architecture. Triora sits at 2,559 feet (780 meters) in the Ligurian Alps, Apricale displays stone alleys and vaulted passages, and Cervo perches above the coast between Imperia and Alassio. Bussana Vecchia was abandoned after an 1887 earthquake and later resettled by artists. Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena clusters around a medieval fortress. The Grotte di Toirano and Borgio Verezzi Caves offer geological formations with stalactites and stalagmites. Montemarcello-Magra Regional Park extends between the coast at Montemarcello and the Magra Valley, while Palmaria Island lies off Portovenere with the Doria Tower. Genoa's Porto Antico connects the historic harbor with modern cultural facilities.
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