Gradara Castle

Marche · Italy · Castle

Francesca da Rimini, slain alongside her beloved Paolo, is said to call for him at night from the castle battlements.

The Malatesta fortress of Gradara is by tradition the place where, around 1285, Gianciotto Malatesta surprised his wife Francesca with his own brother Paolo and killed them both - the love tragedy immortalized by Dante in the Divine Comedy. Francesca's restless soul is said to wander the sumptuous halls, unable to leave the place where her love was born and died, and on nights around the full moon she is said to appear on the battlements calling for Paolo. The castle with its intact walls is today one of the Marche region's premier attractions, and 'Francesca's room' with the fateful book is the heart of every tour.

FAQ

Where is Gradara Castle located?

Gradara Castle is in Marche, Italy.

More haunted places in Marche

• Roveresca Fortress of Senigallia Marche · Fortress
• Casertavecchia Castle Naples · Castle ruin
• Castel Capuano Naples · Castle
• Burano Venice · Urban site
• San Nicolò al Lido Venice · Church
• Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera Umbria · Palace
• Church of the Wooden Nun, Incurabili Complex Naples · Church
• Santa Luciella ai Librai Naples · Church

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.

Image: Congolandia.g · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons