Castle of Tolcinasco
Tolcinasco Castle (Italian: Castello di Tolcinasco) is a medieval defensive castle in the ancient village of Tolcinasco, a locality in the municipality of Opera near the Prada Foundation, inside the Mirasole Oasis.
| Tolcinasco Castle | |
|---|---|
| Castello di Tolcinasco | |
| Milano | |
| Coordinates | 45°21′56″N 9°11′11.78″E / 45.36556°N 9.1866056°E |
| Type | medieval castle |
| Site information | |
| Owner | private |
| Open to the public | in part |
| Condition | restored |
| Other site facilities | residential |
| Site history | |
| Built | 10th century CE |
| Materials | stone and mortar |
| Fate |
|
History change
The Tolcinasco Castle was built by the D'Adda family in the sixteenth century. It is a rare example of an agricultural fortress to protect the surrounding countryside and the food supplies contained within it.[1]
The castle, with the surrounding land, has become the seat of a golf course, started by Arnold Palmer. In 2018, after restoration, the castle was reopened to visitors.
Structure change
The castle is a large block structure, with four towers on the sides that defended the granary inside. The ground floor, less than three meters high, was originally a food store, and was accessible from the wagons directly from the outside for loading and unloading. Access to the main floor of the building was by outdoor stairways. Around the castle today there are the large farmhouses where the farmers who worked for the estate lived, together with the stables for farmed animals.