The Castle
It doesn’t come as a surprise that the Malaspina Castle of Fosdinovo is the biggest and best preserved castle of the entire Lunigiana. Visible from far away, it occupies a large part of the hill on which the town Fosdinovo was built. Construction of the castle started in the 12th century, even though some sources already mention the existence of a Castrum Fosdinovense as early as 1084.
For centuries, the castle was home to the marquesses of the Malaspina family, who ruled in this area until the French Revolution put an end to their rule in 1797. After the Napoleonic Wars ended, Fosdinovo became part of the Duchy of Reggio Emilia and Modena. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the castle came back in the possession of descendants of the Malaspina family, who still own the castle to this day. From 1960-1965 the castle underwent some much-needed restoration works to fix the immense damage done by bombings during the Second World War.
The ghost of Bianca Maria Malaspina
Legend has it that the Malaspina Castle of Fosdinovo is actually haunted. It all started out with a forbidden love story. Bianca Maria Aloisia, the daughter of the marquess Giacomo Malaspina and his Oliva Grimaldi, had fallen madly in love with a stable boy. This of course was not accepted by her family, and her parents tried in all ways to separate the two lovers. She was sent to a convent, the stable boy was murdered, but nothing could convince Bianca to marry with the nobleman her parents had chosen for her.
It is said that out of despair, her father had her walled up alive along with her dog and a boar, a symbol of rebellion. From that moment on, the father, the daughter and the two animals can be recognised in stains imprinted on the ceiling of the throne room. Many visitors to the castle also claim they saw the spirit of a young girl roaming the castle, or they heard a heart beating in the bed that was her father’s.
Your visit to the Malaspina Castle of Fosdinovo
Luckily for us, although the Malaspina Castle is still privately owned, it’s also open for guided visits. Visits last for 50 minutes and some of the most famous areas of the castle are included: the throne room, the room where Dante Alighieri slept during his visit to the castle, the impressive ballroom, as well as some of the exterior areas.
🔗 Guided visits can be booked on the official website of the Malaspina Castle.