Bellinzona, Medieval fortified city in Ticino, Switzerland.
This fortified town sits at the meeting point of three Alpine valleys in the southern canton of Ticino, where three castles guard the passage route above the river. The old town spreads between the hills and shows cobblestone streets, arcaded squares, and stone houses reaching up to the castle walls.
The location on the trade route through the Gotthard pass attracted armies and merchants since Roman times, until the Swiss Confederation ended Milan's rule in 1500. The three castles rose between the 13th and 15th centuries when the Dukes of Milan sought to secure control over the pass.
The old center around Piazza Collegiata shows arcaded streets and narrow alleys where locals and visitors shop for fresh regional produce at open-air markets in the morning. Cafés under the arches fill at midday with people sitting outside and eating Ticinese polenta or risotto.
Visitors reach the old town on foot from the train station in a few minutes and can explore the castles via paved paths and staircases running between the hills. The season for outdoor visits runs from spring to autumn when the fortress entrances open and the pathways stay dry.
The defensive walls between Castelgrande and Montebello run straight through residential neighborhoods and gardens, so walkers today pass directly beside the old fortifications. Some sections serve as retaining walls for houses that were built against the original defense system over the centuries.
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