Castello di Trussio

First recorded in 1257, Castello di Trussio stands above the Judrio valley in the Collio. Two western towers and a thick curtain wall survive from a complex repeatedly rebuilt through centuries of conflict and changing ownership.

Why it matters

Trussio's history links the hills of Dolegna del Collio to the political struggles of Friuli and the County of Gorizia. The castle was held by the lords of Spilimbergo from 1279 until 1869, making it a long-standing marker of their authority in the eastern part of the region.

What to notice

The two western towers and the massive curtain wall are the principal surviving elements. The present complex includes later buildings developed around the courtyard, reflecting its reconstruction after earlier destruction. Its position above the Judrio places the castle within the vineyard landscape of the Collio.

Context and history

In 1257, during an attack by Mainardo, Count of Gorizia, the castle was burned and then rebuilt. It was besieged by the Udinesi in 1364 and occupied by Hungarian troops in 1431. Fighting between imperial and Venetian forces destroyed the earlier castle in 1511; towers of the replacement are recorded from the late sixteenth century. After the Spilimbergo lordship ended in 1869, the complex declined, served as a hunting reserve and was later restored.