Rocca di Monselice

About the museum

The Colle della Rocca was fortified in the Byzantine period, around 600 AD, shortly before the Lombard conquest of Monselice. In 1239 Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, having confirmed the town as the seat of the imperial appeal court for the Marca Trevigiana, ordered the rebuilding of the fortress; the works were begun by his ally, the feudal lord Ezzelino da Romano, and involved the demolition of the ancient parish church of Santa Giustina, which was later rebuilt halfway up the slope.

The Mastio Federiciano has a truncated pyramid base of trachyte blocks, about eight metres high, on which the residential part rises; it is still protected by five circuits of walls, the oldest of which date back to the 6th century. Passed to the Carrara family and then to Venice, the fortress lost its defensive function after the siege of the League of Cambrai in 1509, and the hill was ceded to noble families such as the Marcello and the Duodo.

Recent excavations have uncovered residential buildings, curtain walls, the apse of the church of Santa Giustina and a small Lombard necropolis, whose finds are displayed in the Antiquarium Longobardo. A small museum with pottery, metal tools and silver objects is set up in the mastio; in September 2026 a new steel staircase was inaugurated to provide access. The Rocca is part of the Complesso Monumentale managed by the Veneto Region.

Highlights

• Mastio Federiciano dating from 1239 with a panoramic terrace over the Euganean Hills
• Museum of excavation finds inside the mastio
• Remains of the apse of the ancient church of Santa Giustina
• New steel access staircase inaugurated in September 2026
• Nature and archaeology trail on the Colle della Rocca (about 90 minutes)

Permanent exhibition

• Museo del Mastio Federiciano – Excavation finds such as pottery, metal tools and silver objects are displayed inside the mastio, documenting the fortifications of the hill.

Operated by

Regione del Veneto

Visitors per year

approx. 576

Admission & discounts

€4 from age 6 for the nature and archaeology trail with climb to the mastio.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The mastio stands on the summit of the hill and is reached by an uphill path; in September 2026 a new steel access staircase to the mastio was inaugurated. No specific solutions for wheelchair users are indicated.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Take the A13 Padua–Bologna motorway, Monselice exit, then follow the signs to the “Cava della Rocca” car park. The path to the mastio starts at the staircase next to Villa Duodo.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit