Country Article / Postcards
Belli Bellinzona: a tale of three castles
Date: 02/13/2007The map says Switzerland, but Ticino, Switzerland’s palm-fringed, southern canton, feels like Italy. Indeed, dukes of Milan and Como once ruled the region.
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Ticino is home to the Riviera-like lake retreats of Lugano, Locarno, and Ascona, and, in their understandable haste to soak up the sun and scenery these places offer, many travelers whiz through Bellinzona, Italian-speaking Ticino’s dramatically sited capital, without so much as a ciao.
Bellinzona, inhabited since Roman times, rewards those who stop with sweeping valley and mountain views, tasty Italian fare, elegant Renaissance squares, and fine medieval architecture. While most ancient European towns would be proud to have one castle, Bellinzona boasts three. Castelgrande, Montebello, and Sasso Corbaro command three successively higher hilltops, and the castle trio, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has guarded the approaches to nearby alpine passes like the St. Gotthard since the Middle Ages.
Castelgrande is the oldest, lowest, and largest castle. Visitors can follow a footpath to the castle and its intact ramparts and towers, but the futuristic, air-conditioned elevator that leaves from the rock-bound piazza del Sole in Bellinzona’s historic center is arguably more fun. Like something from Star Trek, it transports you in seconds through a rock face and up to the fortress walls—the 21st century meets the 13th. Swiss architect Aurelio Galfetti designed the elevator as part of extensive castle renovations.
Once on top, walk the walls, take in the museum’s history and art exhibits, relax in the park-like courtyard—where open-air concerts and movies are hosted in summer—or enjoy regional dishes and Italian wines at the al fresco terrace restaurant built into the ramparts. Eat under a vine-topped pergola while enjoying gorgeous views of the two higher castles and, below, the baroque splendor of Bellinzona’s old town and the 16th-century Church of Sts. Peter and Stephen.
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If you go: Adult admission per castle is 4CHF, 2CHF for children and seniors. A 3-castle pass is available for 8CHF/4CHF. Castelgrande: Open daily, year-round, tel. (+ 41) (0)91825-8145. The Ristorante Castelgrande (tel. (0)91826-2353) has an outdoor terrace and garden cafés for casual dining, and an upscale, gourmet restaurant inside the castle. Montebell Castle open daily, year-round; museum closed Nov. to Easter. Tel. (0)91825-1342. Sasso Corbar Both castle and museum are open daily, but closed Nov. to Easter. Tel. (0)91825-5906. Tourist Office: Town Hall courtyard; tel. (0)91825-2131. Guided walks and audioguides are available. |
The middle citadel, Montebello, is accessed by a steep road that starts near the train station. Walk, drive, or take the postal bus from the station. The castle complex is comprised of an imposing 13th-century chateau and courtyards with rich 15th-century additions, and houses an archaeology and history museum.
Continue up the road to Castello di Sasso Corbaro, Bellinzona’s highest and youngest stronghold, built in 1479. The view from here is spectacular and extends across the lower Ticino valley and surrounding Alps all the way to Lake Maggiore, which Switzerland shares with Italy. The castle’s museum showcases regional costumes and crafts.
As you stand on Bellinzona’s magnificent medieval heights, you’ll pity the travelers racing along on the highway below, eager to get to the lakes and unaware of the majesty they’re missing.
Useful websites: www.bellinzonaturismo.ch ; www.ticino.ch ; www.SwitzerlandIsYours.com
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