Found on a winding road just south of Cortona, the ruins of this castle make an interesting side trip along the way to Lago Trasimeno. Many consider what is left of Castello di Pierle to be one of the most beautiful and mighty examples of a feudal castle in Tuscany. As you make one of the last of the curves you will catch glimpses of this dominant structure among the green valley.
To simply imagine the grandeur of such a castle with external walls that are almost 2 meters thick and the castle itself rising to almost 5 floors, this impressive record of history stands as it did almost 500 years ago. Its position and the lack of local interest has left it to sit in history almost as it was built. Inside, one can admire the circumference of the walls from 5 to 8 metres (16 to 26 ft) high, the three imposing towers, only one of which today is still almost integral, and the residential keep-palace.
The castle existed already in X the century and was property of the marquises of the Saint Mount Maria Tiberina. In 1428 there is a contract of sale by the Republic of Florence and payment of 1200 fiorini of gold when it became free of Cortona. However that wasn´t enough to save the Rocca, and it was voluntarily destroyed by the Gran Duca so that outlaws would not take refuge here.
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