The Tower of Hunger, Castel d'Ario

Castel d’Ario near Mantua/Mantova is a place I wanted to visit, more for the history rather than any photo opportunities. I tacked it onto the visit to the Po at Revere last week.


This castle has a tremendous history attached to it. A face of early Renaissance Italy that does not rise to the surface often.

Castel d'Ario

Castel,d'Aario

The medieval castle of Castel d'Ario presents itself today as an imposing city wall, about 300 meters long, interspersed by three perimeter towers and a castle gate tower. Today it is mostly a ruin with just one building intact which serves as the town’s library

Castel d'Ario

Castel'Ario

A fifth tower, more massive and elevated, is located inside, inserted in a corner of the enclosure. It is the oldest part of the castle. It is known as the "Torre della Fame" or the “Tower of Hunger”.

Castel d'Ario

Castel d'Ario

During works in the nineteenth century in the cellars of the castle keep, seven skeletons were discovered, one still in chains. Here is the story of how they got there.

Tower, Castel d'Ario

The Dungeons, Castel d'Ario

Castel d'Ario

Francesco I Pico the ruler of Modena after a defeat in battle with an army from Bologna took revenge on the citizens of Modena who he believed had betrayed him. The citizens of the city called in the Rinaldo dei Bonacolsi Duke of Mantova to liberate the city. After a short siege Pico was sent into exile, but five years later in 1321 he returned to the area.


Bonacolsi soon captured him and his two sons who were led naked tied to the back of a mule through a gathering the plebe, who beat them as they passed. Worse was to come.


They were then conducted to the castle of castle D’ario, where they were thrown into the dungeons without food or water and left to die a horrible death.


Bonacolosi in turn was dethroned in 1328 by a coup d’état by one of the wealthy families of the city. The Gonzaga’s with the help of troops from Verona took charge of the city after a short bloody battle.

The Duke died of injuries sustained in the battle. Two of Bonacolosi’s sons and two cousins were captured and sent to the dungeons of Caste d’Ario where they too were imprisoned and left to die without food and water. 


Rinaldo dei Bronacolosi was mummified and put on display in the Palazzo Ducale in Mantua.


This castle served as a prison for the Gonzaga’s and other notables were imprisoned here.

Castel d'Ario

Imprisonment went better for Taddea Cardinalina, known as the wife of Cardinalino, or the son of Cardinal Francesco Gonzaga. Her husband found her in bed with her brother Enea Forlani. She was imprisoned in the castle, together with her daughter but not in the infamous tower. After two years she was released.

Castel d'Ario

Castel d'Ario

The Castle is one of the few that was not demolished when the area was ruled by the Austrians.