Built in the XNUMXth century, but remodeled several times over the years, the Vezio castle look at the Lake Como from the top of its promontory. It overlooks Varenna, the territory to which it belongs. But a small portion of it belongs to Perledo. Why is it so fascinating? Because it is full of beauty, but also of mystery. And why, here, you can take a selfie with ghosts.
Vezio Castle, the history
The Vezio Castle has a very ancient history. Some tombs, found over the years, even date back to the Iron Age. But, in the second half of the twentieth century, helmets, swords and arrows also came to light. The first official attribution, however, dates back to the time when the exiles of theComacina Island they took refuge here, in this corner of Varenna, following the war with Como (1169 AD). According to Paolo Giovo, it was the islanders who built the castle of Vezio, but this hypothesis is now considered not very reliable. According to historians, the refugees simply reviewed the structure of an existing village.
In the following centuries, in medieval times, the castle gave refuge to the population of Varenna who tried to defend themselves from the Como assaults. And if the first act is dated 1368, and is a donation made to the church of Sant'Antonio di Vezio, the following years were a succession of disputes and changes of ownership. Until, in the seventeenth century, the Count della Riviera won the case for its possession. Then his dynasty ended, the castle went to the Serbelloni their heirs and - finally - ai Greppi Di Robilant who still own it today.
The ghost of the castle
The history of the castle of Vezio is linked to that of the queen Theolinda. It is said that the Lombard queen was one of the last sovereigns to live in the castle and that her soul still survives here today. On moonless nights, she is said to be seen wandering through the corridors or in the garden. And it is in the garden that the castle managers have installed ghosts in plaster and papier mache as tall as a man. Presences that, in spite of what is believed, are not scary. They intrigue, amaze, enjoy being discovered as in a surreal treasure hunt. Their presence, moreover, is more than justified by the context. Just think of the dungeons, which were not used to imprison or torture but to hide people from enemies. Or to that tower overlooking the lake or, again, to the falconry shows.
Vezio castle today
Vezio Castle is open to the public from March to October, from 10.00 in the morning to 17.00 / 18.00 / 19.00 depending on the day and the period. The entrance ticket costs 5 € for adults, 3 euros for over 65s and for children between 7 and 18 years old (up to 6 years old you enter for free). Why come here? To photograph i Ghosts, obviously. But also to enjoy an extraordinary panorama, and to attend the falconry shows in the castle garden. Visitors can see birds of prey up close, get involved in their flying displays, learn about their history and how they were trained. Thus enjoying an unforgettable show, for young and old.
Featured photo taken from Wikipedia (credit Diego Delso - CC BY-SA 4.0)
