Borgia Castle, Medieval castle in Squillace, Italy
Borgia Castle is a fortification in Squillace featuring two distinct towers, one cylindrical and one polygonal, with the Borgia family coat of arms visible at the main entrance. The structure occupies the town's central square and is now open to visitors as a museum building.
The fortification was built by Normans in 1044 on the ruins of a monastery and later took on its distinctive shape. Under Borgia family rule from 1494 to 1735, it became one of the region's most significant strongholds.
The castle now serves as a military museum where visitors can explore regional artifacts and historical objects from Calabria. The collection reflects how this building became woven into local identity and what role it played in shaping the area's past.
The castle sits on Piazza Castello in the town center and is easy to reach. Visitors should know that interiors are reached by stairs and the stone structure invites exploration on foot.
During restoration work in 1994, workers uncovered two intertwined skeletons from the 13th or 14th century inside the polygonal tower. This unexpected discovery continues to raise questions about the people who inhabited this structure across the centuries.
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