Walk in the Castle of Doria

The Castello Doria of Portovenere is a wonderful military fortress, in the past an impregnable refuge for the owners of the structure, which from the top of the rocky hill on which it stands, dominates the sea of La Spezia, in Italy. The data relating to the period of construction of the military structure are uncertain but it is assumed that it was built around the 12th century AD. according to some historical books found in the library of the city of Portovenere.

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It is undeniable that the view from the hill is indescribable, also thanks to the beautiful day that accompanied our walk. The castle is built entirely of stone and is accessed through a stone bridge, built later, and replaced the original wooden drawbridge, deteriorated over the years and dangerous for the access of tourists.

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The rooms of the castle have been renovated over the years to be safe and retain the original splendor of the times in which it was built. Neglect and abandonment could destroy an architectural masterpiece and a historical heritage such as the castle of Doria but thanks to the intervention of the institutions, today the military fortress is in excellent condition.

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The watchtowers had the function of observing the arrival from the sea of possible enemy ships, guaranteeing an advantage to the defenders of the castle, as they had all the time to be able to prepare the counterattack. The fortress has a mighty wall, able to defend itself from attacks coming from inside the territory, made in an aesthetically inaccurate way but with solid boulders. An impenetrable fortress both from the sea and from the land and this has allowed the structure to be practically impregnable, managing to defend itself on all fronts.

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The defense consisting of the walls and towers guaranteed resistance against enemy attacks and preserved almost all of the fortress in an incredible way. Today the castle, in addition to being open to practically all its rooms, hosts many events, especially during the summer, such as exhibitions, theatrical and cultural events.

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Walking on the paths that lead to the Doria castle towards the city of Portovenere is beautiful: it is a long path, it crosses the nature that characterizes the rocky coast and along the way there are remains of houses or buildings of the time that have partly survived the weather of nature, time and man. There are remains of agglomerations of houses, probably the abode of inhabitants or farmers who took care of the surrounding lands. Imagine being able to live in a stone house, near the castle of Doria, so close to the sea that you can smell its scent and the breeze of the wind, observing the starry sky in the darkness of the night.

Today it would be difficult to appreciate all this but in past centuries, it was a great privilege.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.