Charlemagne’s castle for sale in Italy
By Kevin Brass
23 January 2009
International Herald Tribune
A castle said to have been the property of Charlemagne, the 8th- and 9th-century king of the Franks, is for sale in Italy, dungeon included.
Priced at €13 million, or about $16.7 million, the castle has been on the market for about a year, Mucchielli says. The current owners, who live in the castle, bought the property 20 years ago, restored it and created apartments for rent.
Although there has been interest from hospitality companies, Mucchielli believes the castle’s layout is more suited for a residence than a hotel.
The Castle’s origins go far back to remote Medieval times dating back to the year 802. Its first known owner is Charlemagne and among its guests and conquerors, there are Federico Barbarossa, Federico II, Pius VII and Fernando de’ Medici to name only a few. The old road from Rome to Florence passed here and famous travellers, among them Goethe, Byron and Hawthorne, visited the place.
It is surrounded by pine and oak woods, cypresses trees and olive groves. Its extremely panoramic location, has given it an enormous strategic importance throughout the centuries. Many of the Castle’s original features such as gunports, battlements, moat, dungeon etc. are still intact or carefully restored to the highest standards. Its imposing walls, added to its commanding position, enhance the feeling of being drawn back in time when entering its secluded courtyard or looking out from the rampart.
The circular courtyard encloses five buildings: the main palace, the guest house, the church, the old dungeon and the car port. Along the circular walls with battlements lie four turrets oriented to the main cardinals. The total covered area is about 1800 sqm (19360 sqft), while the inside garden is about 1500 sqm (16140 sqft). The property also includes about 32 acres of olive groves and woods.
Other projects for possible improvement are:
The dungeon tower could be turned into a romantic apartment with an enchanting view on the moat and the lake.
An extra annex of up to 450 sq mt (4840 sq ft) can be built inside the estate.
A further house of up to 200 sqmt (2150 sqft) which was dismantled in 1950 can be rebuilt inside the walls
Notwithstanding its quiet and secluded position, the castle is a short drive from central Italy’s main historical cities, 45 mn from Siena, 1 hour from Florence and Orvieto, 1h45 mn from Rome, 10 mn from Cortona and 30 mn from Perugia and Montepulciano. There is a helicopter landing site next to the castle allowing even shorter transportation times.
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