Castello Aragonese (Rocca di Castiglione della Pescaia)

The Aragonese Castle crowns the promontory above Castiglione della Pescaia's walled borgo. Its three towers and surrounding fortifications form a prominent silhouette above the Tyrrhenian coast, with views across the Diaccia Botrona marsh and toward the Tuscan islands.

Why it matters

The castle stands at the highest point of the historic centre, linking the town's defensive history to its coastal setting. Its oldest core is the Torre Pisana; later fortifications joined it to two other towers around an inner courtyard.

What to notice

The three towers rise on battered bases, a defensive form that broadens the walls near the ground. Sections of the town's fortifications retain arrow slits, musket loopholes and traces of merlons. From the promontory, the coast opens toward Elba to the north and the Maremma shoreline, Argentario and Giglio to the south.

Context and history

The castle grew from a Pisan watchtower, traditionally dated to the tenth century. After periods of Sienese control, Aragonese forces occupied the town in 1446 and enlarged the fortress. The complex was later held by the Piccolomini and came under Medici control in the sixteenth century. Restoration campaigns followed in the Lorraine period and in the early twentieth century.