Rare 14th century fortified harbour attached to the medieval Rocca Scaligera fortress at Sirmione, Lake Garda, Lombardy, Italy, that once sheltered fleets of Veronese and Venetian warships.
Sirmione, Lake Garda, Lombardy, Italy: crenellated walls and a watchtower guard the mouth of a fortified harbour that once sheltered Veronese and Venetian warships. The harbour, a rare surviving example of a 14th century fortified port, is attached to the Rocca Scaligera, the medieval Scaliger or della Scala fortress that still dominates Sirmione. The docks were built to an irregular shape, perhaps specifically designed to protect the water inside from strong north winds. The castle, also known as the Castello Scaligero, was built on Roman foundations in the 1300s. The stronghold stands at the narrowest part of the Sirmio peninsula extending north from the lake’s southern shore. It is the best preserved of the Scaliger fortresses around the Lago di Garda, partly thanks to a thorough restoration programme begun in 1919. The work included clearing debris from the dock, accumulated over several centuries, that had completely replaced the water inside the ancient walls. From the 16th century, the Rocca importance as a defensive structure declined in favour of the fortress at Peschiera del Garda. During the periods of Napoleonic and Austrian domination, it was used as an armoury and barracks and it later housed municipal offices, a post office, police accommodation and a small prison. Sirmione is now a very popular tourist destination and the Rocca Scaligera is one of the top visitor attractions in the Italian Lake District.
Size: 2041px × 3035px
Location: Rocca Scaligera, Sirmione, Lake Garda, Lombardy, Italy
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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