Info point 5: The courtyard

Pause for a moment to look around you and feel the ambiance of the Renaissance castle. Once upon a time, this was a place full of life where the most important decisions for the good of the community were made, a place where the captains lived and worked, a place in which the inhabitants of the estate could seek help for their problems and to which they had to give part of their hard-earned income, a place where prison sentences were served, but also a place that housed animals, such as horses or pigeons. Despite numerous subsequent alterations, much of the structures preserved to this day actually belonged to the original structure. The Renaissance settlement was indeed formed around the castle itself; however, its high and narrow walls and towers are still reminiscent of the old medieval fort built for defense against cold weapons.

Architecture

It is the decorative architectural details, the linear construction, and the location of the fort itself that points most to the arrival of the Modern Age and its increasingly used distinct new architectural style. The center of the courtyard has always been an open space, but significantly smaller than it is today. Along the today empty perimeter walls, there used to be outbuildings, single-story facilities. The remnants of its roof and level structures can still be seen on the walls. On top of the cistern, next to the square tower, there used to be a terrace most likely covered with a pergola used by the captain for outdoor stay. Beneath the baroque staircase built in 1728, that we are now approaching, you will notice a small door, the entrance to a cramped, claustrophobic prison space for perpetrators of minor crimes. For all other parts of the castle, it was necessary to climb the stairs, so let's go…