Castello di Asolo, Medieval castle in Asolo, Italy

Castello di Asolo, also called Palazzo Pretorio, stands at the highest point of the hilltop village, on the elongated ridge beneath Monte Ricco. It was long a separate stronghold from the Rocca on the summit until a medieval wall circuit joined the two. Caterina Cornaro, queen of Cyprus, gave it the Renaissance appearance it retains; later the battlements were removed and the two towers lowered.

The fortress was first recorded in 969 and became strategically important under Ezzelino da Romano in the 13th century. It then transitioned to Venetian control in the 14th century, serving as an administrative hub for the region.

The castle is also called Palazzo Pretorio, and its name Asolo likely comes from the Latin Acelum, meaning "pointed place", after the elongated hill it sits on. From 1489 it hosted Caterina Cornaro's court, where Pietro Bembo set his dialogue Gli Asolani and gathered artists such as Giorgione and Lorenzo Lotto.

The hilltop location means the walk up requires some effort, but it is accessible directly from the town center on foot. The theater hosts regular performances and the restaurant allows you to spend time here while enjoying expansive views over the countryside.

The castle's tower once served as the body of a windmill, a detail visitors often miss. The site also yielded remains of mammoths, showing the area was inhabited since the Middle Paleolithic.