The Castello di Frascarolo (Frascarolo castle) or of Medici of Marignano is on the hill which almost constitutes the foot of the Campo dei Fiori, a well-visible fort in a dominating position between Ganna and Ceresio valleys.

The castle is still private property and cannot be toured without specific permission. It is approximately 1 km from the town of Induno Olona, a town on the outskirts of Varese, and is easy to reach on a convenient winding road.

The history of the Castello di Frascarolo
It is believed the castle is from the early Middle Ages, perhaps the work of the Longobards, but it’s only documented in 1160 when Archbishop of Milan Oberto da Pirovano upheld a valid resistance to the advancing inhabitants of Como looking to conquer the Varese area. However, it’s possible that the castle was only a rural fort back then.

Starting in the 12th century, it was the property of the Abbey of Ganna (or Abbey of San Gemolo in Ganna Valley), and followed destiny and plunders including the one by the Swiss Unterwalden from Mendrisio in 1511; it was purchased by Marquis of Marignano Gian Battista Medici in 1543. It was precisely with the advent of the noble Medici family that the castle was renovated and embellished. Over the centuries, it lost its defensive physiognomy to become a typical 16th-century residence.

The castle and its massive walls flaunt a mighty 15th-century tower with a rusticated portal, courtyard with a loggia, and an adjacent section built in the 16th century when it became an exclusive dwelling. The entrance hall preceded by a boulevard and large stretches of meadow inside certainly belong to another period.

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The Castello di Frascarolo

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Il castello Visconteo è una fortificazione medioevale che sorge tra il centro del comune di Fagnano Olona e il fiume Olona, in provincia di Varese. I complesso architettonico è sito in piazza Cavour e oggi ospita il municipio.
Storia
Situato su un ciglione a ridosso del fiume Olona, il castello ha sempre avuto un'importante funzione difensiva sin dai tempi del primo nucleo, probabilmente di epoca romana, in quanto collocato in una valle che rappresentava una naturale via di collegamento la Svizzera e il territorio milanese. Fa parte di una serie di fortificazioni che seguono il percorso del fiume: tra queste si ricordano, ad esempio, quelle di Castelseprio e di Castiglione Olona. Il castello di Fagnano Olona è anche considerato l'antemurale di Castelseprio ed è citato nelle lotte che intercorsero tra i Torriani e i Visconti.

Uno dei primi documenti che testimoniano con certezza l'esistenza del castello, è quello prodotto nel 1257, quando la fortificazione divenne proprietà dei Visconti. Fu in quell'anno che Martino della Torre, Capitano del popolo di Milano, giunse con le sue milizie a Fagnano, dove cercò di conquistare il castello dei rivali Visconti, che però resistette all'assedio.

Quando il contado del Seprio passò definitivamente al dominio visconteo, il castello di Fagnano fu tenuto dal ramo della famiglia che fu successivamente noto come Visconti di Fagnano. Il loro feudo fu successivamente diviso in due parti: una affidata al ramo famigliare di Giovanni Visconti di Gasparo, che diede vita ai Signori di Fagnano, i quali si estinsero nel 1514; l'altra andò invece ai discendenti di Azzo Visconti, fratello di Giovanni, che formarono il ramo dei Visconti di Ierago. Ai primi, Signori di Fagnano, fu affidato il castello, mentre i secondi andarono ad abitare presso il "Castellazzo" di Fagnano Olona.

Il castello di Fagnano nel 1451 fu affidato da Francesco Sforza a Filippo Maria Visconti, conte di Albizzate, e gli venne confermato nel 1470 da Galeazzo Maria Sforza, il quale frequentò il castello in alcune occasioni, tra cui una battuta di caccia documentata nel 1474.

Nel XVI secolo il castello fu coinvolto nelle lotte che nel territorio gallaratese videro contrapposti ducali, spagnoli e truppe francesi.

L'imperatore Carlo V d'Asburgo nel 1551 concesse il titolo di Conte di Fagnano a Vitaliano Visconti Borromeo. I lavori di ristrutturazione di fine XVI secolo sono attribuiti all'arcivescovo Gaspare Visconti, successore di Carlo Borromeo, e datati 1585. Dopo questi lavori, in questo castello l'arcivescovo era solito trascorrere i periodi estivi, e qui si rifugiò durante l'epidemia del 1587-88.

Nel 1674 il castello era tenuto contemporaneamente dai Visconti di Fontaneto e dai Visconti Borromeo.

Castello Visconteo (Fagnano Olona)

The Castello Baradello is a military fortification located on a 430 m (1,410 ft) high hill next to the city of Como, northern Italy.

The castle occupies the ancient site of Comum Oppidum, the original settlement of Como, dating from the 1st millennium BC. Later it was one of the last Byzantine strongholds in the area, surrendering to the Lombards in 588. The castle was restored during the War of the Lombard League, with the help of emperor Frederick Barbarossa (1158). Barbarossa officially donated it to the citizens of Como in 1178.

Napoleone della Torre died here in 1278, having been imprisoned here by Ottone Visconti after the Battle of Desio; his nephew Guido was able to escape in 1283, as well as his brothers Corrado and Enrico the following year. Azzone Visconti restored and enlarged the fortification after conquering Como in 1335, and built another castle, the Castello della Torre Rotonda ("Castle of the Round Tower", now lost) and a citadel.

In 1527, by order of emperor Charles V, the castle was dismantled, with the exception of the tower, to prevent it from falling in hands of the French troops that had invaded the duchy of Milan. After belonging to monks and then to private individuals, the castle was restored in 1971.

Description
The most preserved element is a square tower, measuring 8.20 m × 8.35 m (26.9 ft × 27.4 ft) at the base, and standing at 27.50 m (90.2 ft). It once had Guelph-type merlons. The walls are of Byzantine origin (6th-7th century); these were later heightened and provided with Guelph merlons, while another external line of walls was added.

Also from the 6th century are the Chapel of St. Nicholas and quadrangular tower (4.40 m × 4.15 m (14.4 ft × 13.6 ft) at the base), which was used as the castellan's residence. Napoleone della Torre was buried in the Chapel of St. Nicholas.

Castello Baradello

The Rocca Borromeo di Angera, or Rocca d'Angera, also called Borromeo Castle, is a castle that stands on a lakeside hilltop in the limits of the town of Angera in the Province of Varese on the Southern shores of Lago Maggiore. It is visible from across the lake from Arona, where originally stood another castle formerly owned by the Borromeo family.

Before 1227, the castle belonged to the Della Torre family, who lost the possession to the Visconti after the Battle of Desio (1277). In 1449, it passed into the ownership of the Borromeo family. It once belonged to the Visconti family, beginning with Bernabò Visconti and his wife, Beatrice della Scala. but it was purchased by the Borromeo family who expanded and refurbished the castle over the centuries. It still belongs to the Borromeo family. It is best known for it Hall of Justice (Sala di Giustizia) which still contains its original late 13th century depicting the victory of Ottone Visconti, archbishop of Milan, at the Battle of Desio. The castle suffered damage during bombardment in the second world war.

The castle also contains a Museo della Bambola (Doll Museum), founded in 1988 by the wish of Princess Bona Borromeo Arese, and displays over a thousand dolls made between the 18th century and the present day.

Rocca Borromeo di Angera

The Visconti Castle of Massino is a Middle Age castle located on the Vergante hills in the municipality of Massino Visconti, Province of Novara, Piedmont, northern Italy. Since the 12th century it has been a possession and one of the preferred residences of the Visconti of Milan. At that time it was frequented by the family ancestor of the lords and dukes of Milan. Afterwards its property was transferred to other collateral branches of the lineage, from the initial Visconti di Massino to the current Visconti di San Vito.

The vast view that can be seen from the site of the castle, covering the Lake Maggiore and the territory beyond it, is supposed to be the motivation of the initial interest of the Visconti of Milan, leading them to the acquisition of the Massino court from the Abbey of Saint Gall in 1134.
Location
The Vergante is a semi-mountainous region few kilometres west of the Lake Maggiore. From Massino, 465 m (1,526 ft) above sea level, the view is open over to the lake and to the region beyond it, comprising the Lake of Varese and the smaller Lake of Monate. The territory seen from Massino has always been part of the archdioceses of Milan and includes other sites with Middle Age fortifications: Angera, Arona, Besozzo, Orino and Velate near Varese. Although excluded from it, the site of the castle appears to be a point from where part of the Milanese territory can be controlled.

History
A first mention of a fortification goes back to the 9th century, when Massino became prerogative of Engelberga, wife of the Emperor Louis II of Italy. The settlement was then donated to the monastery of San Sisto in Piacenza, then transferred to the Abbey of Saint Gall. In 1134 Guido Visconti son of Ottone was invested by the Sangalese monks of their properties and rights in Massino. Eight years later the investiture was confirmed by King Conrad III. Since then it has always been a possession of Visconti families.

In 1823 the property of the castle was transferred from the Visconti di Massino (a Visconti cadet branch originated from Ottone, the eldest son of Guido) to the Visconti d'Aragona. In the 20th century it was purchased by the Visconti di San Vito, another Visconti collateral lineage. Part of the furniture and the archive of the Visconti d'Aragona were moved to the Visconti Castle of Somma Lombardo, another estate house of the Visconti di San Vito.

Today
At the beginning of the 20th century the importance of the Visconti Castle in the local history has led the municipality of Massino to rename itself Massino Visconti. The town can be reached by the Genova Voltri-Gravellona Toce highway, Meina exit. After the first houses the castle appears in its imposing dimensions near the church of Santa Maria. Three towers remain of the castle: two of them on both sides of the southern gate, perhaps the original entrance, surmounted by the usual Biscione. At the center of the castle stands the main tower. The courtyard of the castle ends with a terrace towards the village and the Lake Maggiore. On this side stands out a loggia open for public announcements to the village.