BLOG

BaitoneAlpino Suggests: Castel Beseno

Beseno Castle is the largest fortified structure in Trentino-Alto Adige. Located in the municipality of Besenello, in the province of Trento, it offers a view of the entire Vallagarina valley and the sheer drop to the Rio Cavallo stream below. The first reliable records of this fortress date back to the 12th century, when it was a fiefdom of the Counts of Appiano and inhabited by their vassal family: the Da Beseno family. Around 1200, the Trentino church acquired a large portion of the structure, but it remained under the control of two distinct branches of the Beseno family: Enghelberto and Odolrico. However, rivalry between the two factions led to the premature decline of both Beseno Castle and Castel Pietra, over which both families claimed rights. About a century later, the castle passed under the control of William II of Castelbarco, who restored much of it. Finally, around the mid-15th century, another important figure entered the building's history: Marcabruno II Castelbarco, who found himself caught in the middle of the disputes between Venetian and Tyrolean troops. It was precisely during this period that the famous Battle of Calliano (1487) took place, in which fifteen hundred Venetians were killed or captured. It was a real defeat for the Venetians and their commander Roberto Sanseverino d'Aragona, who drowned in the Adige River. During the 16th century, following a fire, it was rebuilt and renovated, transforming its appearance from a medieval castle into that of a residential residence, while retaining its identity as a well-armed defensive fortress. Towards the end of the 18th century, it was again besieged by Napoleonic troops, who, despite everything, failed to prevail, being defeated by a column of Austrian troops who had arrived to defend it. Afterwards, the castle entered a long period of decline, finally being abandoned in the 19th century and covered over to avoid paying property taxes. In 1973, it was finally donated by the Von Trapp family to the Autonomous Province of Trento, which immediately began its restoration, bringing it to its current structure: an elliptical shape that covers the entire summit of the limestone hill, extending 250 meters in length and approximately 50 meters in width. The castle is part of the Buonconsiglio museum network, which includes Buonconsiglio Castle in Trento, Stenico Castle in the Giudicarie area, Beseno Castle in Besenello, Thun Castle in the Non Valley, and Caldes Castle in the Sole Valley. Tickets are available for €20, which grants access to all five castles. If you visit all five, you'll receive a small gift!