Castle of Madrignano

The Castle of Madrignano, also known as the Malaspina Castle, stands above the village of Madrignano within the municipality of Calice al Cornoviglio, Italy. This defensive structure was built by medieval powers likely connected to the Malaspina family, though its origins may trace back to earlier authorities such as the Este family or the counts-bishops of Luni who controlled the area in previous centuries.

The earliest written record mentioning the castle appears in 1164, in an imperial diploma issued by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. This document granted the “castrum Madrognani” to Obizzo Malaspina, affirming the family’s position in the region. While this is the first definitive reference, the existence of a fortification at Madrignano probably predates this date, serving as a strategic post overseeing the Vara river valley and the coastal plains.

From 1206 onwards, the Malaspina family maintained exclusive control of the fiefdom and castle. This period marked the castle’s role as a stronghold within the family’s territories. However, their rule was interrupted in 1416 when the Republic of Genoa launched an attack during conflicts affecting the Malaspina lands, resulting in the castle’s destruction. Following this event, ownership passed to the counts of Fieschi. The castle would see brief control by the counts of Mulazzo, then return to Fieschi hands before being restored to the Malaspina in 1469. The Malaspina family retained ownership for about three centuries afterwards.

In the early 18th century, the castle faced another critical moment during the War of the Spanish Succession (1705–1706). After a twelve-day siege involving Franco-Spanish forces on one side and Austrian imperial troops on the other, the castle suffered severe damage, marking its final major destruction. Unlike after earlier conflicts, no full reconstruction followed; only some partial adaptations were made to the remaining structures.

By 1772, the castle and its nearby estates became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Later, during the era of the Kingdom of Italy, the site was used for new purposes as a prison and barracks. The castle sustained further harm from an earthquake in 1920 that struck the Garfagnana-Lunigiana region, and also from Allied air raids during the Second World War. For many years after these events, the castle was left largely abandoned, until restoration efforts began in the late 20th century.