Castello del Buonconsiglio

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Castello del Buonconsiglio.

The Castello del Buonconsiglio is a castle in Trento, northern Italy.

The Castle originated from a fortified building erected in the 13th century next to the city's walls. This first edifice was called Castelvecchio ("Old Castle"), and was the seat of the Bishopric of Trent from the 13th century onwards.

Castello del Buonconsiglio, front view.

Frescoes in the Torre Aquila: January.

The first main enlargement occurred Bishop George of Liechtenstein, in the late 14th century, who tutned the castle into a well-styled residence. The Castelvecchio was further modified by Johanness Hinderbach, who had the double loggiato and the Gothic entrance gate built. In the first decades of the 16th century Bishop Bernardo Clesio had a new residence, called Palazzo Magno ("Grand Palace") built in Renaissance style alongside the old castle. The last great addition was the so-called Giunta Albertiana, from the name of Bishop Francesco Alberti Poja (1686), with which the Castelvecchio and the Palazzo Magno were united

The interior halls have precious frescoes, including those in the Torre Aquila ("Eagle Tower"), which are one of the most noteworthy examples of International Gothic art in Europe: they represent the "Cycle of the Months" (15th century) and were made by an unknown artist from Bohemia. The cycle is interesting also for its accurate portrayal of the landscape, the economic activities, the habits and the fashion of Medieval Trentino. The walls of Torre del Falco (late 16th century) have frescoes with hunting scenes, also a rare example of German landscape painting in northern Italy.

The Castle of Buonconsiglio remained the seat of the Prince-Bishops until 1803. Used by the Austrians as military barracks and, later, as a jail, it decayed. In the 1920s, when Trento was returned to Italy, it became seat of a National Museum and was restored. Since 1992 it is home to the Provincial Gallery of Art.