Castello Visconteo - Locarno, TI, Switzerland - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

EN: This marker stands at the southern part of Visconteo Castle. It has some historical information about the castle in Italian, German, French and English. Interstingly, the marker does not mention that the current castle was scaled down to about one fifth of its original size in 1531 to save maintenance costs.

The marker text:

"Castello Visconteo
IX - XVIII Sec.

Il castello è stato edificato a più riprese e le prime notizie della sua esistenza risalgono all'anno 866. Le costruzioni visibili oggigiorno corrispondono in partee ad un ampliamento visconteo del 1342. È però del Quattrocento la sostanza di maggior pregio come la corte, bell'esempio d'architettura tardogotica e rinascimentale, o i soffitti a cassettoni, decorati con motivi lavorati a traforo o con tavolette dipinte recanti gli emblemi dei conti Rusca e delle famiglie nobili locarnesi. Sulle pareti del portico e del primo piano vi sono inoltre stemmi e iscrizioni in vecchio tedesco che testimoniano la presenza di notabili svizzeri, inviati a turno dai Cantoni confederati tra it 1513 e il 1798. Nel 1507 it settore settentrionale del castello è stato rinforzato con l'aggiunta di un bastion pentagonale (rivellino) il cui progetto è attribuito a Leonardo da Vinci.

Die Burg wurde in mehreren Etappen errichtet. Die ersten Informationen über ihr Bestehen gehen auf 866 zurück. Was heute vom Bau noch zu sehen ist, entspricht zum Teil dem Ausbau durch die Visconti im Jahr 1342. Aus dem 15. Jh. stammen jedoch die wertvollen Elemente, wie der Innenhof, ein schönes architektonisches Beispiel für Spatgotik und Renaissance, oder die mit Intarsien verzierten oder mit bemalten Tafeln dekorierten Kassettendecken, welche die Embleme der Grafen Rusca und der Locarneser Adelsfamilien tragen. An den Seiten des Portals und im ersten Stock sind zudem Wappen und Inschriften in Altdeutsch zu sehen, die das Vorhandensein von angesehenen Schweizer Persönlichkeiten belegen, die abwechselnd von den eidgenössischen Kantonen zwischen 1513 und 1798 geschickt worden sind. 1507 wurde der nördliche Bereich der Burg durch eine pentagonale Bastion (Ravelin) verstärkt, deren Planung Leonardo da Vinci zugeschrieben wird.

Ce château fut édifié à plusieurs reprises et les premières traces de son existence remontent à l'an 866. Les constructions actuellement visibles correspondent en partie à un agrandissement des Visconti en 1342. Mais ce qui a le plus de valeur artistique date du XVe siècle : la cour, bel exemple d'architecture gothique tardive et renaissance, les plafonds à caissons décorés de motifs ajourés ou à tablettes peintes représentant les emblèmes des comtes Rusca et des families nobles de Locarno. Sur les parois du portique et du premier étage, des armoiries et des inscriptions en vieil allemand témoigment de la présence de notables suisses, envoyés tour à tour par les Cantons confédérés entre 1513 et 1798. En 1507 le secteur nord du château fut renforcé par un bastion pentagonal (rivellino) dont on attribue le projet à Léonard de Vinci.

This castle was built in various stages. The earliest records date back to 866. The buildings we see today are partly the result of an extension by the Visconti family in 1342 (hence its name). The most impressive parts of the castle, however, are those from the 1400s; the court, a good example of Late Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and the wooden coffered ceiling decorated with carved motifs and painted blocks bearing the coats-of-arms of the Counts of Rusca and other local noble families. The walls of the portico and the first floor bear other escutcheons and inscriptions in Old High German, indicating the presence of the Swiss dignitaries sent by the Old Swiss Confederacy between the years 1513 and 1798. In 1507 the northern section of the castle was reinforced with the addition of a pentagonal bastion (or "ravelin") attributed to Leonardo da Vinci."

Group that erected the marker: City of Locarno URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: piazza Castello Locarno, TI Switzerland 6600

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