Castello di Ranco

Italy, Italy

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Castello di Ranco is a medieval fortress ruin located in the upper Tiber Valley near Arezzo, perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Cerfone Valley.

Although the castle in its current form dates mainly to the 12th and 13th centuries, earlier fortified settlements may have existed on the site as early as the 6th and 7th centuries, when the area was contested by the Byzantines and Lombards. The castle was an important stronghold of powerful local families, especially the Tarlati di Pietramala, and later passed to the famous condottiero Baldaccio d’Anghiari.

Its significance was such that it appeared on Leonardo da Vinci’s 1502 map of the Val di Chiana and on later historical maps of Tuscany. Today, Castello di Ranco survives as a striking ruin surrounded by woodland. Remains of its towers, defensive walls, and fortified enclosure are still visible, making it one of the most evocative examples of medieval military architecture in the Arezzo area.