Castello di Villanova, Medieval castle in Cassolnovo, Italy.

Castello di Villanova is a square-plan fortress with four corner towers and an entrance tower that still shows its drawbridge. The outer walls carried white and red diamond patterns, worn by the late 20th century. Inside, wooden balconies ring the central courtyard, where a water pump served the residents.

Built in the Visconti-Sforza period, the fortress was restored in 1455 by the Sanseverino family. Ludovico il Moro completed the building, and the Gonzaga of Mantua rearranged it in the 16th century. Saint Luigi Gonzaga stayed several times in one of its rooms.

At the entrance stand two large marble busts from late antiquity, called locally "DuCamoru". They are older than the castle itself, which was built in the Visconti-Sforza period, and were placed in front of the gateway of the rural complex. Inside, in one of the rooms, Saint Luigi Gonzaga stayed several times.

The castle stands within a working rural complex, so access to the courtyard and towers depends on the farm's activity; ask locally before entering. The inner courtyard is reached past the entrance tower, and the residents' water pump stands at its centre. Ground surfaces are unpaved and uneven, so sturdy shoes help.

The white and red diamond pattern on the outer facades was still clearly visible at the end of the 20th century, but by now it has been worn away by time. Look closely at the walls to catch the last traces of this painted decoration.