Castello di Lusuolo, Medieval castle in Mulazzo, Italy

Castello di Lusuolo is a medieval fortress sitting on a hill above the Magra River, surrounded by strong walls and several towers. The structure shows the typical layout of a strategic stronghold built to control the valley below.

In the 12th century the castle belonged to Corrado Malaspina l'Antico, and by the mid-14th century it passed to his great-grandson Azzone Malaspina. In 1449 the Genoese Campofregoso family destroyed it after a long siege; the Malaspina recovered it in 1467 with help from Milan. In 1575 Ercole Malaspina donated the whole lordship to Grand Duke Francesco I de' Medici, and the castle was rebuilt and adapted to artillery in the early 17th century.

The museum inside the castle walls tells the stories of people who left this region to build new lives across the world. Visitors can see personal objects and accounts that reflect this human movement and connection to distant places.

The castle and its walled village stand on a hill above the Magra, visible from the A15 Cisa motorway between the Aulla and Pontremoli exits. The main entrance is the southern gate in the triangular walls; inside, a large trapezoidal courtyard has a well at its centre. The north side holds spacious rooms with large fireplaces and vaults, while the partly collapsed south side appears to have been a barracks.

This place was an important checkpoint for travelers moving along ancient routes between north and south. Its strategic position overlooked a river ford and a trade route that connected people for centuries.