The Castle of Larciano and its Civic Museum
A unique gathering of archaeological findings kept at the imposing castle
The Castle of Larciano is an ancient stronghold that was built over the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Its outside walls encircle a church and many other buildings besides, including a palazzo with a tower and a keep. This was meant as the last retreat in case of the capitulation of all the other structures and means of defence: the surrounding population would flock inside the walls in times of war. The castle is built on an irregular plan, which was dictated by the shape of the hill and extant foundations. From the tower you have a wide view over the surrounding territory, which came in very useful, as it meant that the castellans could keep an eye on movement in the area and communicate with other hilltop fortresses.
Since 1975 the bridgehouse has been home to the Town Museum, where you can see archaeological finds from the local area and from further afield: cooking pottery, metalwork, multicoloured majolica, brickwork and sections of flooring, incinerating chambers. The museum also has an educational section, where a cross-section of life as it was in the inhabited fort is created through a variety of everyday objects.
Info: comune.larciano.pt.it
