Buonconsiglio Castle: The Legacy of Trento’s Prince Bishops
In Trento, the history of the Buonconsiglio Castle begins with Castelvecchio and its walls. Also not to be missed are the Aquila Tower and its cycle of frescoes, the Courtyard of the Lions, and the Great Hall of the castle.
A complex that is nothing short of marvelous for its historical prestige and the cultural significance that pervades every single part of it, Buonconsiglio Castle is wrapped in the jealous embrace of the beautiful Trento, a city setting in keeping with what was the residence of the prince bishops of the Trentino capital from the 13th to the 18th century.
A plethora of buildings representing different eras, the complex also consists of a wall, with Castelvecchio – the oldest nucleus – surmounted by an imposing cylindrical tower in limestone blocks, called the Tower of Augustus. Although it does not date back to Roman times, it is a thirteenth-century building.
Architectural Features of Buonconsiglio Castle
The oldest part of the complex originally served as a military fortress, with a rather massive structure, a façade made of squared stones, defensive loopholes, a sturdy Gothic-inspired iron gate, and an entrance complete with a drawbridge. Also noteworthy are the Guelph cross windows and the Venetian loggia with eight columns in pink stone, white stone capitals, and nine trilobed arches. The courtyard boasts a portico divided into loggias on three levels joined by sumptuous staircases.
The journey inside Castelvecchio continues among the frescoes of the Sala dei Vescovi and the fourth floor, divided into two wings, one of which is monopolized by a large hall enriched by the pictorial works of Marcello Fogolino commissioned by Bernardo Cles, the supporter of the laborious restoration.
Renaissance and Baroque Additions
The Renaissance expansion is instead embodied by the Magno Palazzo, while the Giunta Albertiana dates back to the 17th century, presumably designed by the architect and painter Giuseppe Alberti, and characterized by a strong Baroque soul. The Magno Palazzo is overflowing with allegorical portraits between history and myth, in parallel with an almost boundless melting pot of coats of arms and emblems collected in a true self-celebration of Bernardo Cles, also including a very valuable chapel with a magnificent vault decorated in terracotta, the Stua della Famea (a room once used as a dining room), the Camera del Camin Nero (so called because of a 16th-century fireplace in black marble, unfortunately lost but reproduced in 1927), the Sala delle Udienze, and the Stua delle Figure.
Externally, the Magno Palazzo reveals equal beauty through the Cortile dei Leoni, which takes its name from a 16th-century fountain of which two stone lions survive today. The Loggia del Romanino is equally stunning, composed of lunettes depicting biblical, profane, historical, and mythological scenes, created by the Brescian painter Girolamo Romanino.
The Most Iconic Rooms and Features
Many of the rooms described so far provide a measure of the value of the complex, but the Sala Grande is the most astonishing, the largest and most solemn of the castle, adjacent to the spacious Hall of Mirrors. Mention should also be made of the Camera degli Scarlatti (the apartment of Bernardo Cles), the garden, the library, the refectory, and the Stua Grande – all absolutely worth admiring.
At the far south stands the proud Torre Aquila, guardian of the very famous Cycle of the Months, a medieval pictorial genre characterized by profane themes. This tower is part of the diptych that also includes Torre Falco, located along the walkway of the eastern walls and full of 16th-century frescoes depicting hunting scenes.
Restoration and Modern Use
In truth, the entire complex can boast a not insignificant decorative load, pervading every sinuously frescoed interior space. Buonconsiglio Castle benefited from the good taste of the prince bishops until 1803, when it radically changed appearance, becoming a barracks. It was here that the Trentino irredentists were tried and executed, including Cesare Battisti. Subject to restoration only a century later, in 1924, it regained a certain honorability by hosting the National Museum and becoming the main attraction, leading to four other castles, namely Stenico Castle, Castel Beseno, Castel Thun, and Castel Caldes.
Buonconsiglio Castle Visitor Information
Where: Via Bernardo Clesio, 5 – Trento
How to book: Call 0461/233770 or send an email to [email protected]
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm (from May 3rd to November 6th) and 9:30 am – 5 pm (other periods). Last admission to the Museum is half an hour before closing time.
Costs: Full €10, reduced €8, youth €6. For subscriptions, discounts, and specific cases, see the rates. Official website: www.buonconsiglio.it
How to get there:
- By car: From the A22 Brenner motorway, exit at Trento Nord for those arriving from Brenner and Trento Sud for those arriving from Verona.
- Train: Brenner railway line and Valsugana line from Venice arriving at Trento station.
- Plane: The nearest airport is Verona (90 km).
- Parking: The castle does not have its own parking, but there are spaces available nearby: Buonconsiglio multi-storey car park, Piazza Fiera, and Centro Europa basement.
