Malcesine, the Scaliger Castle
History and panoramic views of the Scaliger Castle overlooking Lake Garda
A visit to the Castle is not only about culture and relax as from the building you can have access to the most panoramic spots of Malcesine: from the platform called "Rivellino" or from the tower, you'll enjoy a 360 degree view you will never forget, that's for sure!
The 31 m high tower with its irregular pentagonal shape dominates Malcesine, raising at about 70 m above the lake.
A short guide
As you enter in the castle you can find the "Casermetta" on the left, where the castle's guard used to live. The lower ground floor and the ground floor host the Natural history museum. An external staircase leads you to the first floor where exhibits and wedding ceremonies are held.
The Natural history museum, was refurbished in May 2008 to offer visitors an original interactive multimedia approach turning the visit into a complete experience involving any of the five senses, in fact the guests can watch but also touch, smell, listen or use a touch screen.
The new set-up presents objects as works of art, shows and revisits themes, employs choreographies, including the landscape that the visitors can see from the windows.
At the end of the courtyard, there's a small balcony, placed at 24 m of height offering a wide and suggestive view of both the lake and the surrounding mountains.
Going up on a flight of stairs, there's the gunpowder magazine built up by the Austrians. Today this area has been turned into the Goethe room, where the sketches of the Lake and of the castle drawn by the author during his Italian Journey are displayed. Goethe reproduced in his drawings the authentic colours of the landscape which became the starting point for his "Theory of colours". Outside, in a contemplative corner of the small garden, there's the poet's bust.
From here, going further up, you get to the second courtyard, called Rivellino, where you can admire the town, the lake and the western side of Mount Baldo. Civil wedding ceremonies are held at Rivellino.
Down the stairs, on the eastern wall there are a few traces of a fresco which probabaly belonged to an old Scaliger chapel.
A large space called "Lacaòr", which is probably one of the most ancient protohistoric settlement in Malcesine, is situated right past the front gate. During the summer this area is used as an open air theatre with 400 seatings.
Admission to this part of the castle is allowed only during the shows.
The third courtyard is the highest and the northermost of the all building, you can reach it going up on a flight of stairs and past the Scaliger gate. In the ancient times, there used to be a stair leaning against the western wall of the Scaliger residence to have access to this side. Today the entry is still visible but it is blocked by an iron grating.
Passing through the Scaliger gate, after a short flight of stairs, there's a well. On the left, in the northern-east corner of the square underlying the tower, a fresco representing the Virgin with the child could probably testify the presence in the past of an ancient chapel.
