Of the four walls that once encircled the entire town, the one built by the Republic of Siena around the mid-15th century remains intact. It surrounds the central keep and is completed, on the eastern side, by two circular towers accessible via a walkway (the first attempts to defend against the nine firearms). Above the drawbridge, the large lunette displays the Sienese wolf and the surrounding balzana. The castle still retains some structural elements that emphasize its importance from a defensive standpoint, making it virtually impregnable: the thickness of the walls at the base of the central keep is about seven meters, and at the first drawbridge, the remains of an ancient moat can be seen, which would have been filled with flammable materials in the event of a siege. Another particularly interesting feature, aside from the almost total lack of windows, is that the only entrance until 1699 was a staircase adjacent to the walls, leading to the first floor of the keep via a drawbridge. This allowed the defenders to easily expose any enemies to their fire. Of special interest is the original iron door at the end of the drawbridge, bearing the coats of arms of the families of the captains who succeeded each other.
The central keep consists of four floors, and its summit is crowned by a terrace from which one can admire the entire Val di Chiana, the lakes of Chiusi, Montepulciano, Trasimeno, and finally Mount Cetona. A secret spiral staircase connects the top floor of the castle to the ground floor and is a particularly interesting feature, as it provided the last escape route in case of siege. Through an underground passageway, now disappeared, it led to the open countryside.
The earliest records of the castle date back to 1038, referring to a deed of transfer. Starting in 1379, Sarteano and its Cassero joined Siena in a form of alliance. Due to its strategic location on the border, the castle underwent numerous sieges over the centuries, including one by Cesare Borgia in 1503. After the surrender of Siena in 1555, Sarteano and its castle were occupied by the Medici, who neutralized the fortress by partially filling in some of its defensive structures. In 1617, Grand Duke Cosimo II granted the castle as perpetual property to Brandimarte Fanelli and all his male descendants. After the town purchased the castle in 1998 and following extensive restoration, the castle was opened to the public in May 2006.
Opening Hours
Tel. 0578 775720 or 347 912 4529 (Ticket office closes 20 minutes before closing time)
- From October until December 7: Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM / 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- From December 8 to December 11: Open daily, 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM / 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- From December 16 to January 8: Open daily, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM / 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Closed on Christmas Day and the morning of January 1)
- From January 9 to February 14: Open Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM / 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- From February 15 to May 31: Open daily except Mondays, 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM / 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
