Rocca Aldobrandesca di Sovana

The Aldobrandeschi Fortress stands at the entrance to Sovana, where the remains of a tower and sections of perimeter wall mark the site of the medieval stronghold. The ruin occupies the most accessible approach to the historic settlement.

Why it matters

The fortress was a centre of Aldobrandeschi power in Sovana. The town became the seat of their county after the destruction of Roselle in 935, and the stronghold guarded its principal approach.

What to notice

The surviving tower stump, or torrione, rises above stretches of the defensive walls. Some ancient Etruscan blocks are incorporated into the masonry near the entrance. The remaining structure shows the scale and position of the fortress even though much of it has disappeared.

Context and history

The fortress dates to the eleventh century and was rebuilt in later medieval periods. In 1312 the county passed to the Orsini through marriage. Siena conquered Sovana in 1410, and the Medici later repaired the defences. The fortress was eventually dismantled in the seventeenth century as the region's political and military importance shifted.