Castello di Castiglione della Pescaia, Medieval fortress in Castiglione della Pescaia, Italy.
Castello di Castiglione della Pescaia is a medieval fortress perched on a hill with stone walls and three defensive towers that overlook both the Tyrrhenian Sea and the town below. The structure spreads across the hilltop with fortifications that visitors can walk around today, offering views toward the coastline.
The fortress was built in the 12th century under Pisan rule as part of defense strategies against seaborne attacks. Three towers connected by walls formed the core of this defensive system against pirates and rival fleets.
The three towers remain depicted on the town seal of Castiglione della Pescaia, representing how deeply the fortress shaped local identity. Residents view these towers as symbols of their maritime heritage and their ancestors' role as seafarers.
The interior of the fortress is not open to visitors today, but you can walk around the exterior fortification walls. This circuit around the structure offers good vantage points for photography and views of both the sea and town.
The fortress once controlled the ancient Lake Prelius, which today exists as the Diaccia Botrona nature reserve. This wetland now hosts numerous water birds and represents a dramatically transformed landscape from the strategic waterway that once surrounded the defenses.
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