Not one, but two Mazze Castles (Castello di Mazze). Nicknamed the “big castle” and the “small castle”, they are united by a large park that encloses the fortified complex which the Counts Valperga had built in the 12th century. The smaller castle is also older and has a crenellated wall and a high, square tower with double lancet windows in terracotta. The square shape is reminiscent of the castle’s larger central tower, which, for its part, is characterized by its rectangular layout, pointed windows, and perimeter walls that are crenellated and “closed” by towers. The castle is a two-storey structure: on the first floor is the Hall of the Throne (Salone del Trono) with frescos by Romolo Bernardi that finish on a lacunar ceiling; the Pink Room (Sala Rosa) is in a Baroque style and decorated with courtly themed medallions; the Gold Room (Sala d’Oro) has mosaic flooring and ceilings with 18th century frescos by the Galliari brothers; the Dining Room (Sala da Pranzo) in the Gothic style and is covered by a frescoed groin arch; and a bedroom (where Benito Mussolini slept) with several connecting rooms – including a library – with frescoed pavilion ceilings. In the medieval castle’s ancient cellars, it is possible to visit the Museum of Torture with implements and methods from the Inquisition.
