Visconti Castle, Gothic castle in Pavia, Italy
Visconti Castle is a Gothic fortress in Pavia featuring a square layout with four corner towers and pointed arches throughout its structure. The inner courtyards and outer walls display the ornamental details typical of 14th-century architecture.
Galeazzo II Visconti commissioned the castle in 1360, and construction finished within five years as a residential palace for the family. From the start, it was designed as an elegant seat rather than a military stronghold.
The castle houses multiple civic museums within its walls, displaying objects ranging from ancient times to the Renaissance period. These collections tell stories of different eras that shaped life in the region.
The castle is open year-round and hosts rotating exhibitions and cultural events in its courtyards and galleries. Plan to spend several hours exploring the different museum sections and courtyards at a comfortable pace.
The castle was originally linked to an enormous hunting park that extended to where the Certosa stands today through a network of navigable canals. This water system once allowed the Visconti family to move between their properties and display their power across the landscape.
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