Barbischio Castle

The Castle of Barbischio can be reached easily following the indications from Gaiole in Chianti .

The Watch tower of Barbischio.

The castle of Barbischio overhangs the country of Gaiole in Chianti, in the Middle Age 'terziere' (one of the three principal members) of the military force constituted by the Florence named 'Chianti League'. The first notices of Barbischio goes back at the year 1086. In 1220 the castle and its courts were given from the emperor Federico II of Svevia in fief to the Counts Guidi of Battifolle. Together with the near Montegrossi, Vertine and Meleto the castle belonged to the Florentine defenses of this area of Chianti, at then border with the dominions of Siena, with the principal function of lookout, thanks to its tall tower. In 1230 a raid of the Senese army seriously damaged the fortification. Subsequently, as many castles of the area,  Barbischio became possession of the powerful feudal family of the Ricasoli. The last historical event that interested the castle was in 1478, when it was occupied from the Aragonese army. After this event the fortification was abandoned and allowed to go slowly in ruins. Recently the rests of the tower have been consolidated and transformed in a private residence. There are still visible a part of the enclosure walls, and it is still well appreciable the full dominion that could be practiced from here on the underlying valley.