Castello Superiore

The Castello Superiore crowns Marostica's Pausolino hill. Its ruined walls and entrance works preserve the upper stronghold of a defensive system that connected the hilltop with the town and Lower Castle.

Why it matters

A tower on the site is documented in the thirteenth century. Much of the later complex is attributed to the period of Cansignorio della Scala, when fortification reshaped Marostica. The hill position provided a different defensive role from the lower enclosure beside the civic square.

What to notice

Fragments of the keep and enclosure reveal the scale of the former fortress. A carved ladder emblem on the entrance rivellino recalls the Scaliger dynasty. The projecting timber gallery above the entrance reflects restoration carried out in the 1930s, rather than an entirely untouched medieval survival.

Context and history

The hill castle resisted the Paduan attacks that damaged the settlement in 1312–1314. Construction of the linking wall circuit began in 1372. Later loss of military importance brought decay, while restoration in 1934–1936 stabilised remains and helped establish the castle's later appearance as a historic ruin.