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 oldest documents mentioning the hospitium run by the Knights Hospitaller date from November 1171; it served travellers on the Via Romeo Germanica heading to Rome or Jerusalem. In the 15th century the complex was transformed into a castle, with a round tower, corbels, battlements and a loggia courtyard, in works attributed to the Bolognese architect Fioravante Fioravanti. In 1502 Cardinal Giovanni Battista Orsini hosted there the conspirators against Cesare Borgia, an episode described by Machiavelli in The Prince.

The castle chapel is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, patron of the Knights of Malta. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Orsini, holder of the commendam over the abbey, commissioned its frescoes in 1502; they are attributed to the school of Pinturicchio and show a Nativity and a Madonna with Child and Saint.

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 castle was the summer residence of the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta, especially from the 1960s under Fra' Angelo de Mojana di Cologna and Fra' Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie, usually in September. The cloister and shop are open to the public, while some halls and the chapel can be visited by reservation.