Castello di Gressa

Italy, Italy

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Castello di Gressa is a medieval hilltop castle near Bibbiena in Tuscany’s Casentino Valley.

Built between the late 10th and early 11th centuries, likely under the authority of the bishops of Arezzo, it occupied a strategic position overlooking the Archiano Valley and served as both a defensive stronghold and a fortified episcopal residence. Throughout the Middle Ages, the castle was involved in conflicts between the bishops of Arezzo and Florence.

It was captured by Florentine forces in 1259, later recovered by the bishops, and remained one of the last episcopal strongholds in the Casentino region. Today, the castle preserves parts of its defensive walls, a central tower, cisterns, a church, and the former bishop’s residence. Although sections of the complex are in ruins, its commanding location and surviving medieval structures make it an important historical landmark and a striking reminder of the region’s medieval past.