Torrione

The Keep (Torrione), approximately 34 meters high and measuring 68 square meters at its square base, is the most significant element of the old castle. Starting from the base, three construction methods can be identified: a base made almost entirely of brick, a central section built with squared stones, and a summit that bears the typical hallmark of Scaliger defensive construction, characterized by alternating layers of stone and brick.

A plaque at its base states that in 1882, the Municipality of Lonigo demolished the remains of the Scaliger Castle and expanded the surrounding squares to build the new Temple (the current Cathedral).

Upon request, it is open for visits during the opening hours of the Lonigo Tourist Office (Saturday 10:00 AM–12:30 PM / 3:30 PM–6:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM–12:30 PM; Monday 10:00 AM–12:30 PM / 3:30 PM–6:00 PM; E: lonigo.iat@gmail.com T: 3791335016), and offers an excellent view over the entire city; it was, after all, the castle’s keep.

The first sources date back to 976, but there are clues suggesting that some fortifications in Lonigo were built as early as the Roman era.
In medieval times, the castle was located on a hill along the Novo River. Under Scaliger and Venetian rule, sieges and destruction ceased, but by the 16th century, the Castle of Lonigo was nearly in ruins as the City of Vicenza had suspended its maintenance.