Castle of Rocchette di Fazio, Medieval fortress in Semproniano, Italy.

The Castle of Rocchette di Fazio sits atop a limestone cliff approximately 500 meters above the Albegna River valley in Tuscany. The complex comprises several building groups, including the original Rocca fortress and administrative structures such as the Palazzo di Giustizia courthouse and Palazzo Pretorio.

The Aldobrandeschi built the castle between the 12th and 13th centuries on the site of an earlier settlement dating almost certainly to around the year 1000. In 1274 it joined the county of Sovana, then passed to the Orsini of Pitigliano after a temporary stay with the Baschi of Orvieto. In the early 15th century Sienese troops took it after a siege that badly damaged it, and Renaissance rebuilding followed. In the mid-16th century it entered the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

The complex still bears traces of its medieval administrative role, with different buildings that served distinct functions. Walking through, you can recognize the separate areas and understand how justice was administered and governance conducted here.

The fortress sits at an elevated location with open sightlines across the landscape, though weather can affect accessibility. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear, as paths across the ruins are uneven and sometimes steep.

The castle area is entered through several gates, one of them called Porta del Castello. Inside, the pieve di Santa Cristina, now deconsecrated, was once the main religious building of the whole village. The water supply came from a well-cistern refurbished in the 16th century.