Malpaga Castle, Medieval castle in Cavernago, Italy.
Malpaga Castle is a square fortress surrounded by double defensive walls and a protective ditch, with interior rooms adorned by detailed Renaissance frescoes painted by Il Romanino. The rooms are furnished with period pieces and decorated with fine Renaissance artistic elements.
Condottiero Bartolomeo Colleoni acquired the deteriorated structure from the Bergamo commune in 1456 and transformed it into a military stronghold and residence. His renovation established it as an important center during the Renaissance period in Lombardy.
The interior frescoes depict scenes from the 1474 visit of King Christian I of Denmark, featuring lavish banquets and jousting tournaments rendered in vivid detail. These painted scenes reveal the grandeur of court life that took place within these walls.
The castle can be visited only through guided tours that lead visitors through multiple rooms with period furnishings and decorative elements. Planning ahead is recommended since access depends on scheduled tour times.
A fresco in the courtyard depicts the Battle of Molinella from 1467, documenting Colleoni's military campaign near Bologna. This rare painted record of an actual military engagement has survived within the castle walls.
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