 |
| Bellinzona is a Swiss town famous for its three castles. The most prominent is Castelgrande. |
 |
| The other two castles are Montebello and Sasso Corbaro. |
 |
| Bellinzona was always strategic because it sits near Alpine passes and the Ticino and Moesa rivers. The Visconti of Milan built up the castles to defend against the Holy Roman Emperor from the north during the Guelph and Ghibelline conflict. |
 |
| Later Bellinzona served as a buffer against Swiss expansion into Milanese territory. When the French first took over Milan from the Sforzas in 1500, Bellinzona joined the Swiss Confederation to protect itself from France. The town is now part of the Italian speaking Canton of Ticino. |
No comments:
Post a Comment