Bedizzole Castle

Dating back to the 9th–10th century, the Castle of Bedizzole was built to defend the valley crossed by the Chiese River during the barbarian invasions. Situated on a hill, the castle dominated the surrounding territory. In the 11th century, side towers and an entrance tower were added. The fortress served a defensive function until 1401, when it was demolished by Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, following a revolt. The Venetians rebuilt it in 1426. In 1483, during the 'War of Ferrara' or 'War of Salt', Bedizzole was attacked for three days by the troops of Alfonso d'Aragona, son of the King of Naples, but without success. Extensive reconstruction work was carried out in 1494 to repair the damage caused to the town's defensive system. Further fortification work began in 1495, including the reinforcement of the towers and moats. In the 16th century, the castle was further reinforced in response to new assault techniques. Following the defeat of the Venetians in 1509, the castle lost its defensive role. Instead, it was used to store agricultural goods and as a refuge during military attacks. In 1840, the new town hall was constructed outside the fortified walls. Engineer Paolo Chiodi's project involved demolishing the old walls surrounding the castle up to a height of 120 centimetres above the internal floor. This was designed to minimise financial expenditure while allowing greater air circulation and light penetration inside the castle. In 1844, the building adjacent to the open area was converted into a hospital. To facilitate access to the healthcare facility, an opening was made in the west curtain wall next to the tower, and many wounded soldiers from the Battle of San Martino and Solferino were transported to Bedizzole Castle.
Today, the castle has three cylindrical towers which have recently been restored and structurally improved with the addition of openings and internal slabs.