The Torrione of Bubano
In Bubano, in the commune of Mordano, you can find the 15th century keep of Caterina Sforza that has recently been renovated and is home to a museum dedicated to the history and culture of the area.
The museum
The museum has a collection of history, artifacts and information connected to the area structured in 5 sections:
- Archeology – contains relics found in the Roman wells in Bubano
- Medieval and Modern – contains precious ceramics discovered during the renovation of the building
- Demo-ethno-anthropologic – a collection of agricultural objects and instruments (Cavulli donation)
- Historic testimonies – a collection of audio, photos and videos of the recent past
- Workshop of ancient knowledge and flavors – dedicated to the display and tasting of local products, educational activities and themed workshops.
Call to reserve tours and sign up for workshops.
History
(Source: www.paliodeltorrione.it) The first fortress of Bubano, which dates back to the end of the XIII century, was besieged so many times that by the end of the XV century it was rendered unusable. In 1493, Caterina Sforza completely rebuilt the castle with a stable nearby the site of the former fortress and named it “Castle of the Countess.” She occasionally dwelt in the castle and hosted her future brother-in-law, Lorenzo de’ Medici (she would later marry Giovanni d’ Medici and their son would go on to become the famous warlord Giovanni of the Bande Nere.)
In 1949, when the king of France, Carlo the 8th, marched to Italy on his way Naples, the Castle of Bubano was laid siege to in an attempt to persuade Caterina Sforze to ally herself with the French. The castle resisted so strongly that the troops were forced to retreat to nearby Mordano and ended up occupying it.
The Castle of Bubano stayed under the dominion of the family Sforza until 1499, when it was conquered by the merciless condottiero Cesare Borgia. The once mighty castle slowly fell into disrepair and only small parts of stables and tower remain to this day.
