SEEING THE NETWORK OF CASTELLI SCALIGERI AND THEIR COMMON CHARACTERISTICS

OF THE 20 OR MORE SCALIGERI SITES THAT EXIST TODAY, SEVERAL CHARACTERISITCS STAND OUT AS BEING STANDARDIZED. IT'S NOT EASY FOR US TO BELIEVE THAT BUILDERS OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD COULD HAVE BUILT WITH STANDARD PROCESSES, SPECIALIZED LABORERS, AND STANDARD FEATURES, BUT BY LOOKING BELOW AND SEEING THEIR COMMONALITIES, THE REALITY WILL BECOME CLEARER. YES! IN ORDER TO BUILD THE STRONGEST AND BEST CASTLES OF THE DAY AND BUILD MILES OF FORTIFIED WALLS, STANDARDIZATION WAS NECESSARY.

BY THE WAY, THE SCALIGERE CITIES OF VERONA, VICENZA, LAZISE, MAROSTICA, SOAVE, RIVA, ARZIGNANO AND OTHERS WERE SURROUNDED BY FORTIFIED WALLS. THE SERRAGLIO ALSO FEATURED THE EXTENSIVE USE OF FORTIFIED WALLS FOR PERHAPS 10 MILES FROM VALEGGIO TO POINTS SOUTHEAST.

SEE THE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS as you follow the guided tour

ENTRANCE WAYS HAVE SIMILAR FEATURES

CUSTOMARILY HAVE THREE OPENING THAT ALLOWED FOR OPERATION OF A RETRACTABLE BRIDGE

CITY GATE - ARZIGNANO

UPPER CASTLE - MAROSTICA

MAIN GATE - CASTEL D'ARIO

TOWERS - THE FULL HEIGHT IS OPENED INTERNALLY

WOODEN PLANKS WITHIN THE TOWERS COULD BE ADDED, BUT ALSO REMOVED IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY

SIRMIONE

CASTEL D'ARIO

VILLAFRANCA DI VERONA

CRENELLATIONS - TYPICALLY FEATURE DOVE TAIL MERLONS

THIS WAS DONE OFTEN TO EXPRESS THE ALLEGIANCE TO THE GHIBELLINE FACTION - FRIENDLY TO THE HOLY ROMAN EMPORER

CASTELVECCHIO BRIDGE - VERONA

VALEGGIO SUL MINCIO - IN THE TOWN OF BORGHETTO

SIRMIONE

WALLS ARE SEVERAL LAYERS ON A SINGLE DARKER LAYER

THE SCALIGERI BUILDERS USED LOCAL MATERIALS AND COMMONLY ADDED BRICK CORNERS AND LINEAR FEATURES IN THE WALLS

MONTECCHIO - CASTELLO DELLA BELLA GUARDIA

VILLAFRANCA DI VERONA

MAROSTICA

THE FAMILY EMBLEM IS TYPICALLY VISIBLE

THESE ARE NOT ALWAYS VISIBLE IN EVERY CSTLE, STILL IN MANY CASES THE FAMILY SYMBOL REMAINS VISIBLE

MAROSTICA - MAIN PIAZZA

PONTI SUL MINCIO - AT ENTRANCE

SIRMIONE - BEFORE THE VENETIANS ADDED THEIR LION.

SOURCE OF FRESH WATER

MOST WELL-PRESERVED CASTLES HAVE THE ORIGINAL WELL

SIRMIONE

CASTELVECCHIO - VERONA

MALCESINE

WALLED CITIES AND TOWNS

TO PROTECT URBAN CENTERS AND ENCOURAGE PRODUCTIVITY AND PROSPERITY, MANY CITIES WERE SURROUNDED BY PROTECTIVE WALLS.

SOAVE - CITY WALLS SEEN BELOW

LAZISE - ONE OF THE MANY GATES INTO TOWN

PESCHIERA DEL GARDA

CASTLE HAS SHARP ANGLES, USUALLY 90 DEGREE CORNERS, NEVER ROUND

ROUNDED TOWERS ARE FOUND IN NORTHERN ITALY, ROUNDED WALLS AND BASTIONS TOO, BUT NOT ON CASTELLI SCALIGERI

MALCESINE

SIRMIONE

VILLAFRANCA DI VERONA

MOST BRIDGES SHARE A SIMILAR STRUCTURE

NOT ALL BRIDGES WE SEE TODAY ARE THE ORIGINAL BRIDGES BUILT BY THE SCALIGERI, STILL SEVERAL BRIDGES LOOK ALIKE

ZEVIO

RIVA

BORGHETTO

VISCONTI BRIDGE BUILT OVER RUINS OF A SCALIGERO STRUCTURE?

MOVE FORWARD ON THE TOUR OF CASTELLI SCALIGERI - MAP

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Castelli Scaligeri

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