Set high on a cliff-top, against the stunning backdrop of the Rhaetian Alps, there stands a 13th-century fortress that constitutes a rare example of a “twin” castle – two mirror-image buildings united by a section of wall.

Donated to FAI by Fedital in 1990

Due to its strategic location between Italy and central Europe, in the past the Valtellina was home to a multitude of castles and strongholds. One that is particularly worthy of note is “Castello de Piro al Grumello”, more commonly known as Castel Grumello (Grumello Castle). It is named after the rocky outcrop, or grumo, on which it was built in the late-13th and early 14th centuries by the Ghibelline Corrado de Piro, whose family had moved to the Valtellina following factional fighting between Milan and Como. In the mid-14th century, the de Piro family suffered a rapid decline, causing them to sell the castle to their rivals, the Capitanei. The castle was then destroyed in 1526 by the Grey League, thus sharing the fate of many other fortifications in the valley. Grumello is a rare example of a “twin” castle, composed of two separate buildings, one military and one residential, surrounded by walls. The military structure, to the east, was designed for defence and also served as a vantage point, as evinced by the imposing square tower and the foundations of a second tower. The residential use of the second building is confirmed by the more carefully worked stone and by the remains of a fireplace in one of the rooms. Following its donation to FAI by Fedital in 1990, the Castle was restored and opened to the public in 2001.