Castello Bourbon, Medieval and Renaissance palace in Monte Santa Maria Tiberina, Italy.

The palace displays Renaissance architectural features with two rows of large windows, a 16th-century stone portico supported by carved sandstone columns, and a medieval tower rising 40 meters high with its original bell system.

Originally constructed in 1250 by Guido I and extensively renovated between 1574 and 1614 under Marchese Bartolomeo I and his son Gian Battista I, the palace served as the seat of the autonomous Bourbon del Monte marquisate until 1806.

The palace now houses the Bourbon del Monte Museum, displaying archaeological artifacts from prehistoric times through Etruscan dominance and celebrating the family dynasty that ruled this territory between Umbria and Tuscany from the 13th to 19th centuries.

The palace stands on Via del Castello, reached through a medieval arch, with the tower above and the former minor-branch houses of the Bourbon del Monte facing it along the same street. The building was acquired by the comune of Monte Santa Maria in 1990 and restored, then turned into a museum and venue for cultural events. Look for the walled-up door at the lower left of the facade, once holding the slot for anonymous denunciations.

The palace features underground prison cells connected to the courtroom through air ducts that allowed officials to eavesdrop on prisoners' conversations, and sharp spiral staircases designed as deadly traps for condemned individuals.