The Castle of Acquafredda - Siliqua


The Castle was built as part of the defence system for the mining area in the thirteenth century by Count Ugolino of the Donoratico della Gherardesca family of Pisa. The unfortunate Count's notoriety stems from the fact that he was mentioned by Dante Alighieri in one of the journeys in Hell in The Divine Comedy.
The Count, whose behavious shocked Pisan society, fell into disgrace and was imprisoned in the "Torre della Fame" (Tower of Hunger) in 1289.

With the collapse of the Pisan Republic, the Castle fell under Aragonese dominion from 1326 to 1410. The Castle was then later abandoned and subsequently passed through the hands of various feudal families.

Today, large stretches of the Castle's defence walls still remain, as well as the central keep and a number of cisterns. Visitors can also see the ruins of a medieval military
settlement scattered on the slopes of the hill on which the castle stands.