Rocca Aldobrandesca in Capalbio
Imposing medieval bulwark towering over the sea and the hills of Maremma
On the Latium border, the Rocca Aldobrandesca, a medieval fortification that stands imposingly in the splendid historic town center of Capalbio, in the small square in front of the Church of San Nicola, towers over the entire surrounding area.
A symbol of the village, it consists of a stately building called Palazzo Collacchioni and, on the shorter side, the original nucleus of the complex, the mighty tower with a quadrangular cross-section, on whose apex is built a crenellated terrace from which one can admire scenic views of the Maremma hills and the sea.
Its origins date back to medieval times, owned by the Tre Fontane Abbey, the only Trappist abbey in Rome. In the 13th century, the noble Aldobrandeschi family gained control and then passed on to the Orsini of Pitigliano. In the 15th century it fell into the hands of the people of Siena, who made it their southernmost outpost, with renovations and further fortifications giving it its present appearance.
Toward the end of the 16th century, after the fall of the Republic of Siena, the powerful Medici family took control, falling within the boundaries of the Grand Duchy.
With a Renaissance setting, the architectural complex preserves numerous period pieces of furniture and a historic Conrad Graf piano also played by the talented hands of Giacomo Puccini in its interior.
