Castello di Arco

Arco Castle crowns a rocky spur above the Sarca plain. Its surviving towers, walls and painted rooms preserve the history of a fortified residence closely associated with the Counts of Arco.

Why it matters

The stronghold was both a defensive centre and a place of noble residence. Its frescoes bring courtly leisure and chivalric imagery into a setting otherwise dominated by military architecture.

What to notice

The Sala degli Affreschi contains scenes of women playing dice, chess games, rose gathering, Saint George and the dragon, a knight's investiture and battle. The cycle dates from around the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century; its artist remains uncertain. The Torre Renghera takes its name from the renga bell, used to summon citizens.

Context and history

A castle existed here around the year 1000, although its later form developed over centuries. Albrecht Dürer depicted it in 1495. French forces bombarded the fortress in 1703, contributing to its decline. The municipality acquired the complex in 1982, and major provincial restoration began in 1986.