"Castles of Bellinzona." Bellinzona (/ ˌ b ɛ l ɪ n ˈ z oʊ n ə / BEL-in-ZOH-nə, Italian: [bellinˈtsoːna], Ticinese Lombard: [belĩˈtsɔna]; French: Bellinzone [bɛlɛ̃zon]; German: Bellenz [ˈbɛlɛnts]; Romansh: Blizuna [bliˈtsuːnə] ()) is a municipality, a historic Swiss town, and the capital of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. Thank you! It is believed by archaeologists that this enlarged military camp in Bellinzona housed about 1000 soldiers during its heyday. The nearly inviolable fortress at Castelgrande and the well-built Roman walls were of considerable importance to the Lombard kings, as they permitted them to not only exert political and military control over the region but also control the flow of traffic through the Alps. Privacy Policy, Wie man die Schlösser von Bellinzona besichtigen kann. The Castles of Bellinzona are a group of fortifications located around the town of Bellinzona, the capital of the Swiss canton of Ticino. A half-hour train ride outside Locarno sits the town of Bellinzona and the Castles of Bellinzona. Explore an array of Three Castles of Bellinzona, Bellinzona vacation rentals, including houses, apartment and condo rentals & more bookable online. Overview of Bellinzona Castles. The Investiture Conflict continued on into the 14th century CE as a set of protracted political conflicts between local elites and transregional rulers. Interalpine traffic increased tremendously, enriching the ducal family in Milan as well as the regions of Lombardy, Ticino, and the central Swiss Cantons of Uri, Obwalden, and Schwyz. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 29 Oct 2018. Bellinzona flourished as a city under the rule of the Visconti and Sforza dynasties, who secured the Alpine passes, upheld customs laws, and balanced state finances and ordinances. These castles are the only remaining examples in the Alpine region of heavy military architecture, which date from the late Middle Ages. Less than one km below, following the incline of today's road, stand the splendid Sasso Corbaro fortifications. Tested Travel visited the largest of these, Castelgrande, which is located on a rocky peak overlooking the valley. To explore the route, we recommend buying the official maps of the Federal Office of Topography Swisstopo. The Milanese, however, were impressed with the tenacity of the Ruscas, and the family was permitted to retain control of the small Montebello Castle, which lies on a hill 90 m (300 ft) above Bellinzona and within sight of Castlegrande. Sede Bellinzonese Bellinzona is situated east of the Ticino River, lying directly at the foot of the Lepontine Alps. Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century CE, the Ostrogoths moved into the region taking control of the old Roman fortresses and alpine passes. In 1335 CE, the Ruscas lost control of the Italian city of Como and in 1340 CE, they surrendered Castelgrande to the Visconti.