Castello sul Mare

Rapallo's Castle on the Sea is a sixteenth-century coastal fortress built after a 1549 corsair raid and now used as a cultural venue.

Why it matters

The Republic of Genoa built the castle to defend Rapallo after the corsair Dragut attacked the town in 1549 and took inhabitants captive. The fortress formed part of a wider defensive network around the Gulf of Tigullio. Its later roles as a captain's residence, prison and public cultural building reflect changing uses of the site.

What to notice

The fortress has a low, thick stone profile designed for coastal defence. Its former prison cells, chapel and gun openings preserve evidence of its military and penal history. The building's position at the edge of the harbour helps explain its defensive role.

Context and history

Construction began in 1550 to a design by Antonio de Càrabo; the castle was inaugurated in 1551. In 1608, when Rapallo became the seat of its own capitaneato, it served as the captain's residence. It later housed a prison and Guardia di Finanza. The municipality acquired the property in 1958. Restoration campaigns in 1963 and 1997–1999, with later conservation work, prepared it for cultural use.