The Rocca aldobrandesca, also known as Rocca Pisana, is a fortified structure located in Giglio Castello, a hamlet and medieval village on the island of Giglio, Tuscany, situated in the highest and most inland part of the island. Compared to the other fortifications on the island, it cannot be counted among the coastal ones, also due to the very poor visibility towards the sea in case of mist. Nevertheless, in good weather, there is a magnificent panorama of the entire archipelago and the Maremma coastline. On a clear day, you can also clearly see the Island of Elba and Corsica. The fortification was built in the early Middle Ages, probably as early as the 10th century, as a possession of the Abbazia delle Tre Fontane in Rome. During the 12th century, it became the possession of the Aldobrandeschi family, who began work to enlarge the pre-existing structure, which was fully incorporated into the flourishing village of Giglio Castello and took on the characteristic fortified appearance typical of all the other fortresses under their control.
However, the island was later conquered by the Pisans, who had further renovation and extension work carried out on both the fortress and the walls. In the early 15th century, Giglio Island was conquered by the Medici and became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, following its fortunes from then on. The fortress was rebuilt again between the 16th and 17th centuries, after temporary periods of decay that followed a number of pirate raids that caused damage and havoc on the island. Further redevelopment work was carried out during the 18th century, when the buildings that housed the sentinels’ quarters were enlarged, as well as the manor house; in 1762, the chapel of St. Barbara was built at the fortress complex, replacing the pre-existing aristocratic chapel, dedicated by the Aldobrandeschi to the Holy Trinity.
After the Unification of Italy, the fortified complex was temporarily converted into a prison facility, which was later decommissioned with its final closure in the first half of the last century. Later, the fortress was sold to private owners and converted into a residential complex. It consists of a real outer fortress with a trapezoidal base, arranged on several levels and resting on one side on a semicircular watchtower that rises along the perimeter circuit of the Walls of Giglio Castello. The masonry structures of the fortress, made of stone, rest on imposing scarp foundations, which give the entire structure a further fortified appearance, further amplified by the ramparts at the corners facing outwards from the village. Inside the fortress are two main buildings, one of which housed the residence of the governors and the podestà , near which was the now-lost noble chapel. Access to the fortress, surmounted by an imposing Medici coat of arms recalling their rule, is through the characteristic Porta della Rocca, which opens along the walls. Additional security was provided in the past by the drawbridge that allows the connection from inside the fortress area to the residential buildings, whose main entrance door on the mezzanine floor can be reached via an external flight of stairs.
