In a beautiful panoramic position in the municipality of Foligno, in the
heart of Umbria, we find this beautiful medieval
castle. The property, spanning over 500 sqm, currently offers a total of 5
bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. A beautiful garden enclosed by the original walls is
ideal for events and weddings and also features a finely restored private
chapel. All around, 4.0 hectares of land complete the property.
HISTORY OF THE FORTRESS
The first records about the tower date back to the second
half of the 13th century: this place, where probably a fortified
community was already thriving, is mentioned in the Cronaca di Perugia: on May 19, 1289, a battalion of Perugine troops
attacked several keeps around Foligno and this tower was no exception.
The castle itself was built in the first half of the
14th century on top of the hill, probably on the remains of the old
tower. The location allowed easy control of the underlying valley.
Originally shaped like a horse-shoe, the fortress
followed the profile of the hill. Only portions of the imposing wall are still
intact, and this despite them being reinforced several times since the 16thcentury.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING
Arriving by car, one can park just behind the tower
and enter the courtyard via a breach in the walls. Here,
the main walkway leads on to the church, the praesidium and the terrace granting access to the tower.
The private chapel, thanks to a masterful
restoration, still boasts its original charme. By scraping off non-original plasters the beautiful
vaulted ceilings have been brought back to light, as well as a portion of a
14th-century painting of the crucifixion, currently being restored.
The praesidium is laid over two floors,
each with independent access. The ground floor houses bedroom N°1, accessed directly from the garden, and a bathroom
tiled its 18th-century original majolica. On the first floor there
is a live-in kitchen with dining area, featuring original terracotta floors and
decorated with original copper and ceramic tools, and a bathroom.
Exiting
the kitchen one ends up on the paved terrace, embellished by terracotta jars
and equipped with tables and chairs to enjoy the pleasant summer climate of
Umbria.
From here, a wooden staircase leads to the entrance of
the tower, which is through a very small door which was originally intended to
keep assailants outside the building. The entrance floor features bedroom N°2, decorated with original 19th-century
furniture and equipped with private bathroom. The ceiling is
supported by beautifully decorated wooden beams.
Going further up, we come across bedroom N°3, fitted with private bathroom too and furnished with
original 18th-century antiques.
On the upper floor, bedroom N°4 is a beautiful room covered with a nice vaulted ceiling
and fitted with private bathroom. An original fireplace embellishes the room.
The second-to-last floor was instead rearranged into a
beautiful living room shared by the guests of the tower.
Getting finally to the top, bedroom N°5 is the smallest of the lot, but also the most peculiar.
The room was indeed created inside the guardhouse on top of the tower, where sentinels
could find shelter in case of rain or bad weather. A door leads onto the
crenellated chemin de ronde offering a unique view over the surrounding Umbrian
countryside.
Back on the ground floor, a staircase also leads down
towards the basement of the tower where an ample room has been converted into a
laundry facility.
All the bedrooms are equipped with an autonomous
heating/cooling system so that each guest can set the temperature based on
his/her preference. Showers are comfortable and water is granted via a
pressurization system.
STATE AND FINISHES
The conservative restoration of the property gave new
life to this fortress and allowed preserving the tower, the chapel and good
part of the walls. Along the ramparts one can easily see the remains of what
were in the past boutiques and artisan warehouses. It has also been proposed a
project to potentially recover these ruins and create further 570 sqm of
livable surface.
EXTERIORS
The property is completed by a surrounding piece of land
spanning roughly 4.0 hectares and featuring 470 olive trees. The garden in
front of the tower, well-maintained and crossed by paved walkways, houses a 8,5 × 4,5 m above-ground swimming pool. This beautiful
outdoor space, which also features a state-of-the-art lighting system, makes
the property the perfect frame for weddings and events. |