Cusercoli Castle

For centuries the ancient and mighty castle of Cusercoli dominated the valley from its rocky spur, closing the pass on the road to Tuscany.

The castle was situated in a strategic location.

The fortress, which has long been the subject of restoration work, belonged to the Abbey of S. Ellero and then to the Malatesta family of Giaggiolo, until in 1700 it was remodelled and tampered with by the Guidi Counts, who demolished the western area to erect the Church of S. Bonifacio and the residential palace with hanging garden.

At the foot of the castle, which still retains a large part of the walls (mostly incorporated in the various dwellings) and one of the two gates to the castle, clings the old historic core, crossed by the ancient, still cobbled road between two gates (the one to the south, known as ‘la Portaccia’, still bears the coat of arms of the Counts Guidi di Bagno).

Part of the castle has been recovered to house some university laboratories.