Castello Borgia: A Historic Medieval Castle in Passignano sul Trasimeno, Italy

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.museociviconepi.it

Country: Italy

Civilization: Early Modern, Medieval European

Site type: Military

Remains: Castle

History

Castello Borgia stands on a wooded hill in Passignano sul Trasimeno, Italy, originally built as a medieval military outpost. Its earliest form included a tower and smaller buildings such as a mill, serving as a lookout near the border between the Papal States and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. This strategic position highlights its initial role in defense and surveillance during the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the estate passed to descendants of Ippolita Borgia, herself the daughter of Isabella Pizzabernani and Girolamo, the natural son of Cesare Borgia. This family branch, known as Borgia dei Sulpizi, transformed the site from a simple military post into a true castle. During the 17th century, the family added the Meniconi surname, and the last heir, Tiberio, designated Ippolito, a maternal descendant of Duke Valentino, as his successor.

By the late 18th century, the castle underwent significant renovation under the Borgia Mandolini family, who had been granted comital rank by the Pope. They remodeled the building in an eclectic style with strong neo-Gothic influences, turning it into a noble summer residence. The family primarily lived in Perugia but maintained the castle as a seasonal home, connected to other properties near the Mongiovino church.

The last Borgia Sulpizi Mandolini owner, Tiberio, left an ex-voto in the castle chapel expressing gratitude to the Madonna for saving him from drowning in nearby Lake Trasimeno. After the Borgias, ownership transferred to the Florentine Massini Nicolai marquises, who expanded the castle following Tuscan medieval architectural tastes.

In 1933, industrialist Ottavio Palombaro acquired the castle. During World War II, the property was confiscated by both Nazi and Allied forces but was returned to the Palombaro family after the war. The Borgia Sulpizi family burial site remains in the crypt of the Madonna di Mongiovino sanctuary near Panicale, alongside members of the Arcipreti della Penna family.

The castle is also linked to esoteric and supernatural tales recounted by Giorgio Harold Stuart, an Anglo-Tuscan writer who once managed the Palombaro estate, adding a layer of local legend to its history.

Remains

The castle’s core consists of a large brick and stone structure featuring a slender cylindrical tower and two lower square towers, reflecting its medieval military origins. These elements indicate its original function as a defensive lookout and fortified residence.

A spacious neo-Renaissance courtyard enhances the complex, centered around a monumental staircase that leads into the main building. Inside, numerous rooms display arches and coffered vaults, including a representative hall with period brick flooring and a fireplace decorated with heraldic coats of arms.

The noble floor contains frescoes and retains original furnishings such as tapestries, paintings, and chandeliers made from wood and wrought iron. From the terraces atop the towers, visitors can see panoramic views of Lake Trasimeno, including the island of Polvese and the promontory of Castiglione del Lago.

Access to the castle is via a long avenue lined with trees, set within a nine-hectare park containing ancient trees. The structure still shows visible neo-Gothic architectural details from the 18th-century renovations, blending medieval and later stylistic elements.

Within the castle chapel, an ex-voto left by Tiberio Borgia Sulpizi Mandolini remains as a historical artifact, expressing thanks to the Madonna for his survival. No other inscriptions or archaeological finds such as tools or pottery have been documented at the site.