Etienne Crausaz

Bellinzona Castles

The three castles, city walls and the old town of Bellinzona together form one of the Swiss World Heritage Sites on the UNESCO List. Unlike similar fortifications the castles of Bellinzona are almost completely preserved in their original condition. As the title of this work suggests, the three movements of Bellinzona Castles are based on the three castles, which are briefly described as follows:The Bellinzona castles are grouped around the Castelgrande—known as St. Michael's Castle—which stands on a rock looking out over the valley of the Ticino river. The castle was built in the 10th century and has two distinctive towers: one white and oneblack. The strong castle walls that embrace the entire old city run out from here. The second castle, Montebello, is built as part of the defensive wall. The heart of the castle dates from the late 13th century, but it was expanded between the mid-14th century and the end of the 15th century. The third castle, Sasso Corbaro, stands on a rock southeast of the fortifications. The castle, which was built at the end of the 15th century, stands apart from the rest of the fortress.