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The Castle of Malcesine was built as a true fortress, supposedly dating back to the last centuries of the first millennium BC. It was destroyed and then rebuilt by the Franks in 590, and it was the residence of King Pepin in 806. After the Hungarian invasions, the castle became part of the Veronese episcopal fiefs.
In 1277, this stronghold became the domain of Alberto della Scala, whose family then owned it until 1387, hence its current name “Scaligero” (from the Scalas).

The Visconti family from Milan lived there from 1387 to 1403, then the Republic of Venice acquired it in 1405, and the Empire in 1506. Eventually, the abovementioned Republic owned it again from 1516 to 1797. Later on, it was owned by the French and the Austrians, to be returned to the Veneto Region only in 1866. On 22 August 1902, it was finally declared a National Monument.

The entrance to the castle leads to the courtyard; on the left, there’s the “Casermetta”, a low building for the castle garrison. In the basement and on the ground floor of the latter, there are now two Natural History Museums, the one of Baldo and that of Garda. An external staircase leads to the top floor where the management offices are located.

At the end of the courtyard, visitors can reach a balcony which, protruding above the water, offers a splendid and evocative view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.
A flight of steps goes up to a powder keg built by the Austrians: today it is called “Sala Goethe” and houses a collection of paintings depicting the famous German writer visiting the local sights during his trip to Italy. Beyond that room, in a small garden embellished with Mediterranean scrub, there’s the bust of Goethe, evocatively placed in a contemplation corner.

Once reached the second courtyard, called “Rivellino” – which leads to a crenellated terrace – visitors can enjoy some other breath-taking views of the town, the lake, and the western side of Mount Baldo. Going down the steps on the eastern wall, the remains of frescoes, probably saved from the Scaligera Chapel, ca ben still admired.

Beyond the door, there’s a green space called “Lacaòr”: probably one of the oldest protohistoric settlements in Malcesine. Clearly visible from the battlements of the Castle, this space is used as an open-air theatre for shows and concerts in the summer season.

The third courtyard, the highest and northernmost, can be reached via a ramp and through a Scaliger portal. After a short ramp, there is a well and to its left, in the North-Eastern corner of the square below the Tower, there is a fresco depicting a Madonna and Child: unmistakable proof of the presence of an ancient chapel right there.

A staircase climbs directly from the well and leads to the Congress Hall of the Residenza Scaligera and, eventually, to the Tower. From the well in the courtyard, visitors can go straight to the ground floor of the residence, home to the Museum of Fishing, Lake activities and the “Venetian Galeries”.

This floor features a massive pillar with two arches supporting the beams of the upper floor: known today as the Congress Hall. Under the floor, there are two well-lit rooms bordered by balustrades: according to some scholars, they represent the access to the “dungeons” of the fortress.

In the entrance hall, there’s the museum of objects related to fishing and hunting on the lake. On the Eastern side of the hall itself, a multimedia installation shows some short films about the history and the tourist attractions of Malcesine, the lake and Mount Baldo.

In the adjacent, smaller room, there are two interesting exhibitions: one is about the legendary transport of ships over land performed by the Venetians in the XV century, during the war against Milan; the other one is about the recovery of a Venetian galley sunk in the lake in front of Lazise: such challenging feat was performed by the very Museum Administration in 1968.
The castle tower features an irregular pentagonal shape and reaches the height of 230 ft (101 ft on its base).

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)