Castello, Medieval castle in Desenzano del Garda, Italy.

Castello is a medieval fortress set on a hill above Lake Garda in Desenzano del Garda, enclosed by circular walls with four defensive towers. Inside the walls, the remains of residential buildings and a small church are still visible, forming what was once a self-contained walled settlement.

Built in the 11th century with four corner towers, possibly over a Roman castrum or vicus, the castle was already considered strategically important for defence and military use, since it contained dwellings inside. Around 1030 Emperor Henry II granted the county of Desenzano, and with it the castle, to the rural count Bosone. At the end of the 19th century it passed to state ownership and housed a military garrison of Alpini and Bersaglieri; in 1969 it became municipal property.

The castle's name simply means "castle" in Italian. Its rooms, once part of a fortified site that contained dwellings, now host exhibitions, conferences and civil weddings, so the building is still in active public use. The outermost section of the entrance tower still shows the marks of a drawbridge that no longer exists.

The fortress is reached on foot from the town center, so comfortable shoes are a good idea for the uphill walk. Once inside, climbing to the upper walls or the tallest tower gives a clear view over Lake Garda.

The most advanced section of the entrance tower still shows the marks of a drawbridge that no longer exists. The castle was built in the 11th century with four corner towers, possibly over a Roman castrum or vicus, and was long valued for defence because it contained dwellings inside its walls.