How to reach
Malgrate rises along the road that connects Villafranca Lunigiana to Bagnone and it is easily reachable following a short deviation. Villafranca lies half way between the motorway A15 exits of 'Aulla' and 'Pontremoli'.
History
The mighty Malaspina Castle of Malgrate has dominated for a long time the valley of the river Bagnone, a tributary of the river Magra, with its characteristic round tower crowning a hill that exalts its strategic position. The position of this castle, overlooking a vast plane, emphasizes its historical role in controlling the roads coming from the Cisa Pass, the Appennines, and the Garfagnana.
The fortification was developed around the year 1275, but its origin is certainly much older, and since then, its slender, 25-meter-tall tower, which reflects a style widely used in many other Lunigiana castles, like Treschietto and Comano, waved the marquises Malaspina's standard, uncontested feudatary of the whole Lunigiana. Malgrate was part of the line of defense created between the 13th and 15th centuries by the Malaspina to fortify the territory and control the main roads of communication. The dominion of the powerful family ended in 1615, when Malgrate was granted to the Spanish governor of the nearby town of Pontremoli. The settlement passed then to the Marquises Ariberti, to whom we owe the 15th-century aspect of the inhabited area, which developed attached to the castle walls.
The castle still preserves its typical medieval aspect with a trapezoidal-shaped walled curtain equipped with guelphs crenellation, loopholes, and leaning turrets at the south-west and south-east angles (today only the brackets of support in stone remain), and the wall walk and tower keep still gifted with machicoulis (projection from the wall made of stone, which has openings through which the defenders can fire upon an enemy directly below). Flanking the western side of the castle walls, we find the gate of the ancient village [the inhabited area is today of sixteenth-century aspect with the two main roads embellished with remarkable 'palazzetti'] that leads into the square, which faces the main front of the castle. Here is the main gate with a beautiful pointed arch and traces of the formerly drawbridge, today replaced by one in stone, and those of a postern.
The whole fortified complex has been submitted to an excellent work of restoration after years of abandonment. Malgrate, thanks to its dominant position, is one of the most scenographic medieval complex of the Lunigiana.
More info & notes
Phone: +39 0585 816524
e-mail: info@istitutovalorizzazionecastelli.it
Opening hours:
May and June Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 15:00 to 18:00
July Saturday, Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00
August daily from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00
September Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00