Fortresses in Bellinzona

Das Castelgrande ist eine Höhenburg oberhalb der Stadt Bellinzona im schweizerischen Kanton Tessin.

Bellinzona’s second castle dominates Castelgrande from above on Montebello hill, perched ninety metres above the city.

Named for its location on a rock that is as dark as a crow’s feathers (from dialect “corbatt”), this is a typical Sforza fortress built in a basic geometrical shape. The dungeon and lookout tower are nestled in a square courtyard surrounded by high walls.

The Fortress of Bellinzona is the largest and the only example of a defensive structure still visible in Europe consisting of several castles and a large defensive wall. Originally built by the Dukes of Milan as a defense against Confederate invasion, it blocked the entire Ticino Valley northwards.