Soncino Castle & Top Things to do in Soncino Italy
Soncino Castle & Top Things to do in Soncino Italy – The charm of Soncino is undeniable. Immersed in the countryside stands this ancient village full of history.
Soncino Things to do
Here is our list of Things to do in Soncino Italy
- The Castle of Soncino
- The House of the Printers
- Civic Archaeological Museum
Soncino Castle
Surmounted by its castle, Soncino takes its visitors back in time to the Middle Ages. At that time the Rocca Sforzesca had a defense function.
Visiting the castle of Soncino you can imagine knights entering the castle on horseback, just like in some scenes of Ladyhawke, a film partly shot here.
The history of the Soncino Castle or Rocca Sforzesca
The Rocca Sforzesca was built in 1473 and it took only a year for its construction thanks to the territory conformation on which it stands.
The architecture of the Castello di Soncino almost completely follows the traditional schemes, except for the thickness of the walls, which has been increased to cushion the blows of the artillery.
The fortress was adapted as a residence when this fief was given to the Stampa family in 1536. To accommodate this family of marquises inside the castle, rooms were created by closing some terraces. A private chapel was created in the southeast tower.
The Marquis Ermete I also added the ravelin in 1545. What is a ravelin? A ravelin is a type of independent fortification generally placed to protect a door of a major fortification. It is, in fact, a masonry element erected in front of the doors to defend them from fire and enemy bullets.
The ravelin, however, was built towards the village, not the countryside. How come? Because the most feared enemies of the Marquis Ermete I were the reluctant subjects living in Soncino.
The Soncino Castle is connected to the church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie by a tunnel that was already unusable in 1605.
The fortress remained of the Stampa family until 1876 when the family’s last heir left the ancient fortress to the Municipality of Soncino. At that time, however, the fortress was now reduced to ruin.
The Soncino Castle was then restored between 1886 and 1895 by the architect Luca Beltrami according to the theory of historical architectural restoration, that is, based on archival documentation.
The relief bridge over the countryside was built in 1912 and the drawbridge in the 1950s by the local Scuola di Disegno.
Opening hours of the Soncino Castle
Soncino Castle Photo Gallery
The House of Printers Museum of Printing
Soncino also has a very important historical value for another factor. It is in fact at the house of printers in Soncino that the first Bible in Italy was printed.
Press Museum Opening Hours
