Castle of Comano: A Medieval Fortress in Italy

Visitor Information

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Country: Italy

Civilization: Medieval European

Site type: Military

Remains: Castle

History

The Castle of Comano is a medieval fortress located in the municipality of Comano, Italy, and was originally constructed by medieval Italian powers to oversee and protect the surrounding rural lands. Its origins trace back to at least the late 9th century, during which time the castle played a strategic role in controlling the rural estates, known as curtes, that characterized the area.

The earliest known record of the castle dates to 884 AD when Adalberto I, who held the titles of Marquis and Duke of Tuscany, transferred ownership of the fortress to the Benedictine monastery of Aulla. This connection with the monastery suggests that the site held both military and economic importance, serving as a protective center for monastic agricultural holdings. Several decades later, in 937, political shifts took place under King Hugh of Italy. After removing the sons of Adalberto II from power, Hugh gifted the castle along with a sizable number of estates—sixty mansiones, which were landholdings or way stations—to his wife Berta as part of her dowry.

Control of Comano continued to change hands over the centuries. It came under the influence of the Este family before passing to the Malaspina lineage, a noble house known in Lunigiana. Significant imperial involvement occurred in the 12th and 13th centuries; Emperor Frederick Barbarossa awarded a quarter of the Comano estate to his supporter Obizzo Malaspina in 1164, a grant which was later confirmed in 1220. Under the Malaspina, the castle became integrated within the marquisates of Filattiera and Olivola, together with nearby fortresses like Groppo San Pietro.

Internal conflicts during the early 1300s affected the castle’s fate. Members of the Dallo family, who were vassals to the Malaspina, engaged in fratricide, prompting Spinetta Malaspina to take decisive action. His intervention resulted in the consolidation of Comano into the marquisate of Verrucola under direct Malaspina control. By the mid-15th century, the castle and its marquisate came under the inheritance of the Republic of Florence, indicating a transition from feudal to urban state rule.

The castle’s military significance was tested by natural disasters as well. A report from 1481 by the local warden to Florentine authorities documented extensive damage caused by a severe earthquake. Despite the destruction that left the fortress heavily damaged, portions including the main tower remained standing, reflecting the robustness of its construction and its continued importance as a defensive position even after natural calamity.

Remains

The present remains of the Castle of Comano primarily center around a formidable donjon, a central tower dating from the 13th century. This substantial cylindrical structure served as the fortress’s strongest defensive feature. Around the tower, a curtain wall was constructed in the 15th century, providing an outer protective barrier. The curtain encloses the keep and includes several lateral towers placed strategically along its circuit, as well as a single entrance gate controlling access to the interior.

Built from stone using medieval construction techniques, the tower features battlements of the Guelph style—characterized by their distinctive rectangular merlons—which were common in the region during the period. Stone corbels supporting the battlements are notable for their design, which aligns with defensive elements used by the Malaspina family in other nearby castles such as Malgrate, Bagnone, and Treschietto. Access to the tower was historically gained via a raised entrance reached by stairs that could be pulled up, enhancing security by limiting entry points.

Inside the enclosure, there are ruins of a residential building that appears to postdate the main defensive walls. These remains suggest that the castle’s function expanded beyond military purposes to include domestic habitation at a later stage. Today, these structures survive only in fragmentary form, standing amidst the ruins that mark the historic footprint of the site. The overall layout with a central tower surrounded by protective walls and additional towers reflects typical medieval fortification strategies adapted to the topography of the Taverone valley overlooking the site.