Castel Nanno

Castel Nanno is located in the village of Nanno, within the municipality of Ville d’Anaunia in Italy. The castle was originally constructed in the medieval period by local nobility, serving as a fortified residence in this Alpine region.

The first known record of Castel Nanno dates to 1264, when it was identified as the ancestral home of the Denno-Nanno family. This family belonged to the ministeriales, a class of unfree knights who served the Counts of Eppan and later the Prince-Bishops of Trento. In 1274, historical documents mention Rompertus de Enno’s sons, Nikolaus and Zordanus, as holders of the castle, indicating the estate’s early importance within the regional feudal hierarchy.

During the following centuries, the castle saw a series of ownership changes caused by feudal conflicts and shifting alliances. In the late 14th century, the Spaur family controlled Castel Nanno for a time, but a 1420 ruling by the Bishop of Trento returned it to the Nanno lineage, reaffirming the bishopric’s influence over local estates. This demonstrates the intertwining of noble and ecclesiastical power that characterized the region.

A significant shift occurred in 1447 when Riprand of the Nanno family acquired the nearby fief of Castel Madruzzo and took the surname Madruzzo. This move established a new noble house tied closely to Castel Nanno and set the stage for the castle’s Renaissance transformation in the 16th century.

Between 1520 and 1530, Giovanni Gaudenzio Madruzzo commissioned a substantial reconstruction of the castle in the Renaissance style. This renovation reflected contemporary tastes and provided a comfortable summer residence for his son, Cristoforo Madruzzo, who later became Prince-Bishop of Trento. The castle thus became connected to influential religious and political figures during this period.

In 1610, Castel Nanno was the site of a witch trial resulting in the condemnation and execution of three women by burning. This tragic event highlights the social tensions and judicial practices of early modern Europe. Ownership remained with members of the Madruzzo family until the extinction of their male line in 1661, after which the castle returned to the control of the Prince-Bishopric of Trento.

The late 19th century brought restoration efforts by Carlo Ritter von Giuliani, a noted librarian and museum director from Trento, who undertook repairs to preserve the site. Today, Castel Nanno remains in private hands, bearing the traces of its layered history from medieval fortress to Renaissance residence.