Signa Castello, Medieval castle in Signa, Italy

Signa Castello is a castle on the highest part of Signa, on the right bank of the Arno near its confluence with the Ombrone. Its current walls date to the 14th century, rebuilt by the Florentines in 1424 with Filippo Brunelleschi's help. Four tall towers remain intact, including the Torrino and the Torre di Settentrione, and the Porta di San Miniato survives with the coats of arms of Florence, the House of Anjou and the Guelph party.

Construction of the castle began before the year 1000 on the highest ground of Signa, above the right bank of the Arno near its confluence with the Ombrone. Its oval wall circuit was built around the 9th century against barbarian raids, after Viking ships sailed up the Arno in 825 to plunder the bishop of Fiesole's palace. The present walls date to the 14th century and were rebuilt by the Florentines in 1424 with the help of Filippo Brunelleschi, as an outpost against Pisa.

The surviving gate, Porta di San Miniato, in the south-west of the castle, still carries the coats of arms of the Comune of Florence, the House of Anjou and the Guelph party. The other two gates, on via Dante Alighieri to the north-east and on via dell'Orologio toward the Arno bridge, are destroyed, though remains of the first can still be seen.

The walls survive only in parts of the town, as in the convent of the Passionist sisters, while four tall towers remain intact, among them the Torrino and the Torre di Settentrione. Of the three original gates, only the Porta di San Miniato, in the south-west, still stands, bearing the coats of arms of Florence, the House of Anjou and the Guelph party. Remains of the north-east gate on via Dante Alighieri can still be seen.

Of the castle's three original gates, only the Porta di San Miniato survives, in the south-west; it still bears the coats of arms of the Comune of Florence, the House of Anjou and the Guelph party. The other two gates, on via Dante Alighieri and via dell'Orologio, are destroyed, though remains of the first can be seen.