Castello di Pojana Maggiore

The Castello di Pojana Maggiore is located in the municipality of Pojana Maggiore in Italy. It was originally constructed by the bishops of Vicenza around the year 1000, serving as a fortification during a period marked by intense struggles between the Holy Roman Emperors and the Papacy in Italy.

This early medieval fortress was part of a larger system of defensive structures, including walls and a surrounding moat that also enclosed the adjacent village. These defenses were designed to protect against barbarian invasions and the frequent warfare that characterized the region during that era.

Over the centuries, control of the castle and its fiefdom shifted among several powers. In 1187, it was under the Maltraversi family from Padua; by 1210, the Comune of Vicenza held it, followed by the Vicenza Curia in 1221. Later, the noble Pelli family took possession. Contrary to some beliefs, Ezzelino III da Romano did not destroy the castle when he took control of Pojana and the castle in 1240 but instead installed a podestà, or governor, to manage the area.

The castle suffered destruction in March 1312 during military conflicts between Veronese and Paduan forces led by Albertino Mussato. Following this event, the fortress was rebuilt in the latter half of the 13th century, likely under Perozzo Paltinieri, a noble who became count of Pojana. This reconstruction marked a notable transformation: the castle shifted from a purely military stronghold to a noble residence that included a small church dedicated to San Zeno.

Subsequent regional struggles brought the castle under the control of the Scaligeri and later the Carraresi families. The final devastation occurred during the 1312 siege by the Paduan army, resulting in the castle’s burning and destruction, after which it was rebuilt with renewed fortifications and residential enhancements.

By the mid-16th century, the castle’s importance declined. In 1545, Bonifacio Pojana commissioned the famous architect Andrea Palladio to build a villa nearby, completed by 1563. The family relocated to this new residence, gradually abandoning the castle. During the 17th century, ownership passed to the Miniscalchi counts of Verona, who left the deteriorating castle under the care of a steward, marking its transition into ruin and loss of function.