Montebello Castle, Medieval fortress in Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Montebello Castle is the second-oldest of Bellinzona's three castles, built by the Rusca family on a rock above the city's oldest quarter. Its trapezoid keep, two courtyards and Ghibelline-merloned walls date from the 14th century, while the 1462–1490 works added round and polygonal towers, a ravelin, a second moat and a wall-walk with machicolations. A pentagonal tower marks where the walls begin.
The Rusca family built the fortress before 1313, and the Visconti took control by the end of the 14th century. Major expansions continued until 1490, shaping the structure visible today.
The castle holds an archaeological museum displaying regional artifacts, ceremonial weapons, and a 13th-century baptismal font from the surrounding area. Visitors can explore the physical traces of centuries of local history within these walls.
The fortress is open daily from April through November and reachable by a path from the city center. Wear comfortable shoes, as the climb to the hilltop involves some steep sections.
In the 1990s, scenes for the title sequence of the masked man programme on TSI, the Italian-language Swiss television service, were filmed at Montebello Castle. The castle also houses the Civic Museum's archaeology and early city history section, installed in 1974 on a suspended steel structure.
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