Castello Malatestiano, Medieval castle in Gatteo, Italy.

Castello Malatestiano is a fortification built with a quadrangular base, five bulwarks, and a central tower surrounded by thick defensive walls. The wide moat that once encircled it has been drained over time but still defines the structure's outer boundary.

The fortress was built around the 13th century, probably on the site of an earlier Roman castrum, and became one of the seats of the Malatesta family. In the second half of the 18th century its walls were lowered, the water moat was filled with earth, and the drawbridge was replaced by a fixed stone bridge. A major restoration cycle ended in 2003, returning the castle to public use.

The castle courtyard hosts the annual festival honoring San Lorenzo, the town's patron saint. Locals gather there for celebrations that reflect the community's identity and values.

The main entrance sits on the eastern side, marked by a rounded arch and crossed via a stone bridge that replaced the original drawbridge. This approach gives visitors a clear way to reach the interior and explore the full layout.

The drawbridge was on the east side, defended by the square tower from which the lifting beams started. The fixed stone bridge that replaced it still marks that same eastern approach, so the tower's position explains the route visitors take into the courtyard today.