Photos of Soave Castle (Italy)

The backside of the drawbridge.  When we entered the castle; we walked in on the drawbridge.

Another entrance (smaller) with a drawbridge.  You can see the town area, through the entrance,  that is within the walled city of the castle property.

A fresco still painted on the walls.  The shield/ symbol of the original family is a ladder.  *IF I'm not mistaken; that is what this family's last name meant?   Usually, you see:  lions, dragons, and other fierce images on shields and crests. 

This is 'inside' the dungeon looking up to the 4th or 5th floor where the trap door is located.  Do you see the wooden door all the way up?  We couldn't go to that level.  However, long ago... enemies or people that had betrayed the ruler were brought before him and if he thought that they were lying or had turned against him--- the trap door opened and the 'person' dropped down to the dungeon.  There wasn't any way to get out of the dungeon and people were left there to die.  In recent history, they made an opening on the ground level that led to the dungeon room (which is the way that we entered the dungeon) and they did find some bones and all that is left is just a dirt floor.

Here's my class and some parents 'on our visit' into the dungeon!   oooh scary!  It was very dark inside even w/ the stone doorway opening behind us.

One of my favorite parts about the whole castle.  At the bottom of the stone steps leading to the private areas of the leader/ruler who lived in the castle through the years... was this dog statue holding the family crest/shield.   He was the TOP DOG!

As you walked up these stairs there were different soldiers positioned along the stone steps.

This is a view of some of the vineyards seen surrounding the castle from the first tier of the stone wall next to the castle.  This area is surrounded by vineyards.   This wine, from Soave is a well known and exported wine.