Mount Ursino Castle

The Mount Ursino Castle of Noli rises on the top of a hill. Around the X century many centers which stood on the coast they moved on the hills, less unhealthy and more easily defensible. It was even so for freight rates that, destroyed by a fire around 900, was rebuilt on the hill of Monte Ursino Mountain, to peak on the sea, and already in 1004 is cited in a document and defined fortified village. After the construction of a first tower on top of the hill, the fortress was enlarged and rafforzo repeatedly until reaching its present form around the XV century, embracing even the baby village in the Piana, current historical center, while it was gradually abandoned that in hill. Supporters of this structure medieval military were mainly the Del Carretto family, the feudal lords of Noli. The castle was able to control both the sea and the coast that the old Roman road passing in the hill in the locality of Voze, and used until the XVIII century.

The castle is formed on the top by a cylindrical tower, surrounded by massive walls and from the accommodation for the troop. From this main core descended two walled perimeters, largely still preserved today, which embraced the whole hill and subsequently also the village downstream. Circular towers susseguivano it at regular intervals along the sloping walls on the sides of the Monte Ursino. The access doors were defended by a singular system still today partly preserved that was constituted by an external tower to walls and connected thereto via a walkway in masonry. This allowed to defend the access doors from the outside by hitting enemies from behind. The castle and the walls of the village are among the examples of medieval fortification best preserved in the Ligurian Ponente.