Sabbionara's Love-soaked Chambers: A 14th-century Medieval Castle

Up in the northern Italian commune of Avio, you'll find the Castle of Sabbionara, an edifice that harks back to the 11th century. While the Castelbarco fam isn't documented as builders, they're believed to be, don't you know. With three lines of walls and five towering testaments, the castle ruled the rolling hills of the Vallagarina valley, where the Adige River flows. Among the towers, they claim the Torre della Picadora held the court for gruesome deeds.

But let's not linger on that quite so much. The castle's true claim to fame lies hidden in its rooms, particularly the 'Chamber of Love' (Camera di Amore). This chamber, you ask? It's a gallery adorned with love stories, courtesty of 1330's secret workshop, established with their prior work in Chiesa dei Domenicani, Bolzano. The frescoes depict Cupid, mounted on a steed, chasing after lovers and showering them with arrows of love. So romantic, don't you think?

Bewilderingly, another cycle of frescoes appeared a few decades later, dominated by military sagas. Today, you can visit the castle and catch a glimpse of these enchanting frescoes, including the 'Chamber of Love'.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons