Medieval Castle of the Guidi Counts, or Castello dei Conti Guidi, at Poppi, Tuscany, Italy. The castle was built in about 1274. The square bell tower or campanile used to be higher and once featured ‘murder holes’ through which boiling liquids or rocks could be poured or dropped on the enemy. The Munition Tower (lower right of the facade) was added as an outer defence in the 1400s. Externally, the castle resembles Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio town hall. It may have been a prototype for that 1299 design by Arnolfo di Cambio.
Poppi, Tuscany, Italy: the square bell tower rising above the 13th century Castello dei Conti Guidi (Castle of the Guidi Counts) overlooks the River Arno in the Casentino valley and dominates distant views of this small hilltop town northwest of Arezzo. The campanile was originally higher and used to feature projecting parapets with ‘murder holes’ through which boiling liquids or rocks could be dropped on the enemy. The fortress was built around 1274 for Count Simone di Battifolle, head of the powerful Guidi family. Externally, it resembles Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio town hall, and it may have been a prototype for that 1299 design by Arnolfo di Cambio. The castle is still enclosed by a medieval curtain wall topped with Guelph merlons. The fortress has only two access points, one facing the valley and one facing the town, which became the main entrance in the 1470s when a deep moat was dug. The name Porta del Leone (Lion Gate) comes from Baldassarre Turriani’s lion bas-relief of 1477 over the entrance. The outer defences were further strengthened by the Antiporta della Munizione, a munition tower housing a drawbridge. A bronze bust of poet Dante Alighieri (c. 1265-1321) displayed by the Antiporta recalls his part in the nearby Battle of Campaldino in 1289. Dante is said to have fought, aged 24, in the victorious Florentine Guelph cavalry against Ghibelline forces from Arezzo. The battle turned Florence into Tuscany’s most powerful city and the last Guidi Count surrendered Poppi to Florence in 1440.
Size: 2832px × 4256px
Location: Castello dei Conti Guidi / Poppi Castle, Poppi, Tuscany, Italy.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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