Montebello Castle

En un regard

Le château en bref

Montebello Castle is the second of the three castles of Bellinzona, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. It stands on the Montebello hill, some ninety metres above the town, and overlooks the Castelgrande from the heights, forming with it one of the links in Bellinzona's fortified system. Its first core dates back to the late 13th century; after the Visconti asserted their authority in 1335, the site came under the Milanese sphere and received major reinforcements, before the Sforza engineers gave it its present form in the second half of the 15th century. Known as Castel Piccolo (1457–1472), then as Schwyz Castle under Swiss rule and as Saint Martin's Castle after 1818, it was acquired by the canton in 1903 and restored. It now houses the "Archeologia Montebello" circuit: the Palazzetto traces the history of the castle and its restorations, while the tower hosts an archaeological exhibition devoted to Ticino, in particular the Bellinzona district. The castle is open to the public from late March to early November; in winter, only the courtyards remain accessible.