Sirmione Scaliger Castle
The Scaliger Castle of Sirmione was built in the second half of the XIV century by the lords of Verona. It is one of the numerous fortresses erected by the Scaligeri family to defend their borders. There were fortifications along the perimeter of the town of Sirmione in the Lombard era and also a castle located on Mount Cortine, the hill north of today’s inhabited area. The Scaligeri decided to build their fortress along the southern side of the town, perhaps on the remains of a Roman fortification, providing the complex with a fortified dock for the shelter of their lake fleet. The castle of Sirmione is one of the best-preserved examples of Scaliger fortification and has a first wall, with two entrances: the southern one towards the outside of the village with ravelin and the western one towards the inhabited centre which gives direct access to the central courtyard and the keep. During the Venetian dominion, Sirmione lost importance as the fleet moved to Peschiera. The dock suffered an earthing and was restored during the second decade of the XX century when major renovations were carried out.