The Scaligero castle
Whether arriving by land or by lake the castle immediately catches your eye. Sturdy yet dreamlike, with its 31 metre high pentagonal tower it dominates all of Malcesine and the surrounding area. It’s background is served by the chromatic blue of the lake and green of the Monte Baldo mountains.The original building date is not documented though it is believed to have taken place during the reign of the Longobards however it is known of many modifications, restorations and additions to the original edifice made by the various rules of the area over the centuries. The castle was destroyed by enemy armies and rebuilt with emphasis on the defensive position of the castle for the town. The mane Scaligero has its roots in the name of the noble family Della Scala from Verona, who dominated the area in 1280.The castle then fell into the Lands of the Venetian Republic who improved the defensive system on the lake front. Then came the French followed by the Austrians in 1780 who made further important modifications to the entire structure, and thus became the castle we se before us today.