Castle of the Knights Hospitaller in Magione, Medieval fortress in Magione, Italy
The Castle of the Knights Hospitaller in Magione is a medieval fortress in the Umbrian town of the same name, built on a square plan with round corner towers and battlements. Inside, a three-tiered loggia with Romanesque details surrounds a central courtyard.
The fortress was founded in 1150 by the Knights Templar, who used it as a base along the Via Francigena pilgrimage route. After the dissolution of their order in 1312, the Knights Hospitaller took it over and developed it further as a stopping point for travelers heading to Rome.
The Magistral Church of San Giovanni in Jerusalem inside the castle holds frescoes commissioned by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Orsini, which visitors can still see today. The painted walls carry religious imagery tied to the Order's original mission of caring for pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land.
The castle is easy to reach on foot from the center of Magione and pairs well with a visit to the surrounding Lake Trasimeno area. Guided tours are available and give a clearer sense of the interior spaces, especially during summer when events are held on the grounds.
The Grand Master of the Order of Malta still uses the castle as a summer residence, a fact signaled to visitors by a flag flown from one of its towers. This makes it one of the very few medieval fortresses in the world that remains an active residence for a governing order.
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