Fortezza del Cerruglio
Medieval and Medici fortress on the hill of Montecarlo, in the Lucca area, with towers, bastions and the village walls, open to the public through the association that runs it.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Fortezza di Montecarlo, also called Rocca del Cerruglio, stands at the highest point of the hill, in a strategic position between the Lucca plain and the Valdinievole. Its oldest nucleus is the large semicircular stone keep, datable to the 12th or perhaps the 11th century. Under Castruccio Castracani two square towers were added, linked by curtain walls, which gave the complex its triangular plan.
In 1331 John of Bohemia and his son Charles drove the Florentines out of the Lucca territory and founded, beside the rocca, the walled village of Mons Karoli, today Montecarlo. In the 15th century Paolo Guinigi enlarged the defensive system, and in 1437 control passed to Florence; in the 16th century Cosimo I de' Medici transformed it into a Medici fortress, adding large brick bastions on the side facing the village.
In 1775 Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo disarmed it and sold it at auction to private owners. For more than a century it has belonged to the Pardocchi-Menchini family, who carried out the restorations under the supervision of the Soprintendenza (heritage authority). Today it is open to visitors, especially in the summer months, and visits are run by the Associazione Culturale La Compagnia del Cerruglio. Between the Medici bastions and the old nucleus there is an Italian-style garden.
Highlights
- Semicircular stone keep from the 12th century
- Medici bastions in brick
- Village walls with the Porta Fiorentina
- Italian-style garden between the bastions and the old nucleus
- Guided tours by reservation
- Founded
- 2002
- Operated by
- Associazione Culturale La Compagnia del Cerruglio (proprietà della famiglia Pardocchi-Menchini)
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours are by reservation, through the online form on the website, by telephone or WhatsApp at 350 035 4687, or by e-mail. |
