Pilate’s Castle: A Medieval Fortress in Nus, Italy

Visitor Information

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Country: Italy

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Pilate’s Castle is situated in the village of Nus in what is now Italy. It was constructed during the medieval period by the feudal lords who governed the area.

The exact date when the castle was built remains uncertain, with scholarly sources placing its origin anywhere from the mid-12th century to the 14th century. The first written mention of the structure appears in 1337 within a feudal homage involving Alexandre and Jean de Nus. At that time, it was described as a fortified, crenellated house positioned at the entrance to the village, serving as a strategic point along the route from the town of Aosta.

Toward the end of the 16th century, the castle suffered a destructive fire that led to its abandonment. After this event, the lords of Nus moved their residence to another nearby fortress overlooking the Saint-Barthélemy valley. This relocation marked the end of Pilate’s Castle serving as a noble dwelling, and unfortunately, any archival documents stored within it about the family were lost in the fire.

A local tradition associates the castle with Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator known for his role in Judea. According to legend, Pilate stayed at the site on his way to exile in Vienne. This story gained particular attention following the discovery in 1846 of Roman coins and medals amid the ruins, suggesting a Roman presence. Historical records confirm that only a Roman mansio—a type of official lodging or rest stop along Roman roads—existed there prior to the medieval construction.

Remains

The remains of Pilate’s Castle reveal a rectangular fortified house originally rising four stories high. The surviving structures include two projecting cylindrical towers at the corners and three sturdy outer walls crafted from bare stone, offering a glimpse into medieval defensive architecture.

One of the castle’s defining features was the southern wall, which contained the main entrance gate flanked by defensive corner towers. This wall was removed during road widening efforts between the late 19th and early 20th centuries but was later reconstructed. In the 1960s, however, a car accident caused its destruction once again. Today, this section has not been fully restored.

Among the scant decorative elements is a carefully worked stone jamb shaped for a cross-shaped window found on the western wall, likely added in a later period after the original construction. Inside the castle, the remains of a large fireplace stand on one wall, hinting at the domestic functions of the fortified house.

Recent restoration efforts have introduced modern elements to the site, including a protective glass and steel roof to cover portions of the ruins and a steel staircase with wood cladding installed on the southern side where the wall once stood. This staircase provides access to the battlement walkway and the two well-preserved cylindrical towers, which would have served as lookout points. Informational panels placed inside the structure provide context about the village and its attractions, although these are modern additions.