Castel Telvana: A Medieval Fortress in Borgo Valsugana, Italy

Visitor Information

Google Rating: 3.4

Popularity: Low

Country: Italy

Civilization: Early Modern, Medieval European, Roman

Site type: Military

Remains: Castle

History

Castel Telvana is a medieval fortress situated on Monte Ciolino’s slopes in the municipality of Borgo Valsugana, Italy. It was established during the early Middle Ages, likely constructed by medieval builders who utilized the strategic site of a former Roman fortification that once guarded the Via Claudia Augusta Altinate, a Roman road important for regional movement.

In the early 1200s, the castle came under the dominion of the Lords of Caldonazzo-Castronovo. By 1314, they had acquired the “Jus gladii,” or right of jurisdiction, over Valsugana, which elevated Castel Telvana to a center of legal authority alongside nearby fortresses such as Castel San Pietro and Castel Ivano. This period marked the castle’s role not only as a military stronghold but also as a seat of governance.

The castle underwent significant expansion under Rambaldo di Castronovo in 1331. He extended its territorial authority in Valsugana and fortified the hilltop with a ring of curtain walls to strengthen the fortress as a defensive buffer. The structure sustained damage from bombards employed by Antonio della Scala, a regional noble, and was subsequently restored and enhanced in 1385, after which Castel Telvana became the most prominent defensive site in the valley.

During the 15th century, the fortress was embroiled in military confrontations and power struggles. Notably, in 1412, it endured an assault led by Duke Frederick IV of Austria. The castle passed through the hands of various Tyrolean nobles, including Archduke Sigismund Welsperg, who undertook further defensive improvements following an assassination attempt against him in 1526.

The Welsperg family maintained possession of Castel Telvana until 1632, when financial difficulties forced them to relinquish control. The property was then acquired in 1662 by the Venetian Giovanelli counts. In 1788, ownership transferred to the municipal authorities of Borgo Valsugana. Contrary to legends of a violent popular uprising, the castle’s dismantling occurred under imperial orders. It suffered additional damage from regional conflicts and was not restored by later proprietors, including the Hippoliti barons.

An Austrian initiative to consolidate and preserve the fortress was approved in 1913, yet the proposed restoration was never implemented. Throughout the 20th century, Castel Telvana changed private owners and remains privately held today, with no access granted to its interior.

Remains

Castel Telvana is composed of two main sections: the upper castle, which forms the original core dating from the 13th century, and the lower castle, added during the 15th and 16th centuries to enhance military defense. The fortress occupies an irregular trapezoidal shape with its wider base facing south and the shorter side oriented north, resting atop a rocky ridge.

At the heart of the upper castle stands a tall, slender square watchtower approximately 5.3 meters wide and rising 25 to 26 meters high. This tower is strengthened by two distinctive buttresses shaped like spines and a gently sloping base on its northern face. Its sole entrance is positioned on the western side and follows the Romanesque architectural style characteristic of the period. The upper part of the castle, situated on the highest point, is bordered by a medieval curtain wall, a defensive stone barrier, of which only a northwest segment survives today. This surviving section includes a substantial buttress and a now-blocked arched gate bearing the date 1673.

The lower castle is dominated by a large truncated conical tower known as the Gasperetti tower. This structure is connected by an elongated, low wall to the original defensive system protecting the entrance. This original gateway once featured a drawbridge, a ravelin (a triangular fortification in front of the gate), an outer wall, and a causeway, elements that no longer survive. The western entrance faced toward Trento and saw fortifications added during the 14th and 16th centuries. A wall segment that linked the square tower to a semi-cylindrical turret collapsed in the early 1900s.

Within the lower castle stands a large palace that continues to be inhabited. In contrast, the upper castle’s baronial palace, restructured during the 15th and 16th centuries by the Welsperg family, remains only as remnants of a northwest curtain wall and foundational stonework. Inside the lower palace, frescoes adorn the inner façade displaying the coats of arms belonging to the House of Austria, the Counts of Tyrol, and the Welsperg family, highlighting the castle’s historical allegiances.

The courtyard features a rustic well dating from the 15th century and a Roman milestone, linking the site back to its ancient roots controlling the Roman road. Inside one room on the tower’s first floor, visitors would find a fresco depicting a coat of arms, a deer, an armored warrior, and a cross, imagery suggestive of noble heraldry and martial symbolism. The tower also contains three additional chambers and a dungeon known by the medieval term ‘muda.’

Although the castle’s interior is closed to visitors today, the site can be observed from outside along the “Sentiero dei Castelli” hiking trail, which connects Borgo Valsugana to Telve di Sopra. The open meadow below the castle continues to be a venue for local events, including annual fireworks displays during the Coppa d’Oro cycling race.