Il Castello di Pianetto

On a rocky spur above the Borgo di Pianetto, the ruins of Il Castello di Pianetto are what remain of a once-formidable fortress. The site is now a collection of substantial stone fragments, but these speak clearly of a serious medieval defence. The surviving masonry is of local sandstone, cut into neat blocks and set directly onto the living rock, a pragmatic and enduring foundation.

The fortress was built on a trapezoidal plan, with a perimeter of roughly 300 metres. At its corners, traces of bastions and ravelins can still be made out, along with a round tower to the south. To the west, the ghost of an old gate is visible. At the centre stands a ruined keep, five metres square and nine metres high; its lower section dates from the 11th century, and halfway up an ancient doorway is set into the wall. The site offers a clear impression of how a small, strategically placed castle might have controlled the surrounding valley.

Description via source. Coordinates and heritage data from the Atika atlas.