Villafranca Castle

It was part of the Serraglio, a vast defensive line created by the City of Verona to defend itself from the raids of the neighboring Visconti and Gonzaga, which started from the river Mincio taken Borghetto di Valeggio and ended in the marshes of Grezzano.

Villafranca Castle, started in 1199 on a raised base, includes seven minor towers and two major towers; subsequently in front of the south gate, beyond the river Tione, it was built by the Scala family and completed in 1359 the Porton, a large fortified access connected to a square enclosure of high walls with ten towers that surrounded the entire castle and created an area for the stationing of hundreds of knights, thus making Villafranca the general command of the Seraglio. With the fall of the Scala family, its importance diminished and suffered damage during the passage of the troops of the Gonzaga and the Visconti, was settled by the Venetians for customs purposes.

Villafranca Castle is currently home of the Museo del Risorgimento, but also to numerous events.