Castel Sismondo is a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

Rimini Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It sprawls along the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient ''Ariminu ...

Romagna Romagna ( rgn, Rumâgna) is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna, North Italy. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to t ...

, northern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

History

The present castle was built by

Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta (19 June 1417 – 7 October 1468) was an Italian condottiero and nobleman, a member of the House of Malatesta and lord of Rimini and Fano from 1432. He was widely considered by his contemporaries as one of the mo ...

, lord of Rimini, beginning on March 20, 1437, but only the central nucleus of this structure remains. According to the contemporary chronicles, Malatesta designed it, although it is known that several architects worked on the construction, including

Filippo Brunelleschi Filippo Brunelleschi ( , , also known as Pippo; 1377 – 15 April 1446), considered to be a founding father of Renaissance architecture, was an Italian architect, designer, and sculptor, and is now recognized to be the first modern engineer, p ...

, who visited Rimini for two months in 1438. Construction lasted some 15 years. The castle-palace originally was surrounded by a large moat, with a

ravelin A ravelin is a triangular fortification or detached outwork, located in front of the innerworks of a fortress (the curtain walls and bastions). Originally called a ''demi-lune'', after the ''lunette'', the ravelin is placed outside a castle ...

at the main entrance, sporting the heraldic symbols of the

House of Malatesta ) , type= Noble house , country=ItalySan Marino, estates= Castel Sismondo (Rimini) Rocca Malatestiana (Cesena) , titles=, founded=, founder=Malatesta da Verucchio, final ruler=Pandolfo IV Malatesta, deposition=, dissolution= The House of Malatesta ...

. The walls were thought to be thick enough to bear the impact of the new artillery pieces of that period. Although originally positioned externally from the city, it has no towers facing that side: all towers are in fact oriented towards the city. These towers are square, and once housed a bronze cannon each. The central part of the castle was also the Malatesta residence, with rooms decorated with tapestries, curtains and frescoes. Also the exterior was decorated, as suggested by the few

maiolica Maiolica is tin-glazed pottery decorated in colours on a white background. Italian maiolica dating from the Renaissance period is the most renowned. When depicting historical and mythical scenes, these works were known as ''istoriato'' wares ( ...

tiles visible.

died here in 1468. In 1821 the castle was turned into barracks for the local

Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign polic ...

. Five years later, the external walls were demolished and the moat filled. After a period of decline, the edifice is now used for cultural exhibitions.

References

External links

Page at www.riminiturismo.it
Buildings and structures in Rimini Sismondo Renaissance architecture in Emilia-Romagna Tourist attractions in Emilia-Romagna Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta {{Italy-castle-stub