Casale della Cervelletta, Medieval palace with tower in Valle dell'Aniene Reserve, Rome, Italy.
Casale della Cervelletta is a medieval palace situated within the Valle dell'Aniene nature reserve, consisting of a quadrangular building arranged around a rectangular courtyard and a roughly 30-meter tower topped with battlements. The structure reflects layers of construction and modification spanning several centuries.
The property began as an ecclesiastical holding in the 12th century and subsequently passed to powerful Roman families including the Sforzas before reaching Cardinal Scipione Borghese in the early 1600s. These transfers reflected shifting fortunes and the influence of major Roman dynasties over the surrounding territory.
The estate served as a health research center in the early 20th century, where doctors worked on treating malaria with quinine and other methods. This chapter reflects how the place became part of efforts to reclaim the countryside from disease.
The estate sits between the Colli Aniene and Tor Sapienza neighborhoods, accessible from the Rebibbia and Ponte Mammolo metro stations. Its location within the nature reserve means visitors should prepare for a visit that combines exploration of the building with the surrounding landscape.
Roman basalt stones, millstone fragments, and a funeral inscription dating to the first century BC lie scattered near the entrance of the property. These archaeological remains reveal that the valley was inhabited and actively used long before the palace was constructed.
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