Castello di Castelsardo

Castello di Castelsardo is a largely preserved hilltop castle perched on a boulder in northern Sardinia, on the Gulf of Asinara in the province of Sassari. The castle and the city were protected in the Middle Ages with a common wall. The Castle, originally, had a defensive function, so much so that it was built on the hill to have an overview of the surrounding area but above all of the coast: this has allowed, today, to have one of the most beautiful and significant views of Castelsardo on the northern side of Sardinia, coming to see the coasts of the island of Asinara and, on a clear day, even southern Corsica. It was built in the 13th century by the noble Genoese Doria family as 'Castel Genovese' or 'Castrum Januae' with great strategic importance. Later they joined with the Giudicato of Arborea, following the marriage of Brancaleone Doria with the Sardinian heroine Eleonora d'Arborea. Conquered in 1448 by the Spaniards of the Crown of Aragon as the last Sardinian territory, the castle was then called 'Castel Aragonese', the place became a royal city ('Royal city of Sardinia') until 1479. From 1767 and with the dominion of the House Savoia, the castle and the city received the current name Castelsardo. For centuries the castle was occupied by the military and until a few decades ago it still served as a barracks for the Carabinieri. The castle is surrounded by a still complete wall ring, which is mainly visible to the south. The castle complex is angled, the interior buildings with different levels and floor heights, of which seven separate houses are preserved today, are connected by a small road. The western side faces the sea. Access is from east to north via a steep ramp. To the north of the castle, which is also pointed to the north-west, there is a small round tower and a protected platform, a rainwater cistern with a small covered well we find them instead in the eastern castle area.