Ragogna Castle (6th-18th centuries) stands in a panoramic position; its surrounding walls, north gate, keep, the internal courtyard with well and a series of buildings that originally housed cellars, dungeons, kitchens and stables can be seen from the road heading up the mountain.
Of Roman origin, it was built as a fortification to defend the road to Norico in the Friuli foothills. In the Lombard era, people took refuge here during the Avar invasions. Its greatest moment of splendour began in the 12th century: in 1218, the fiefdom was ceded by the Eppesteins, Dukes of Carinthia, to the Ragognas (also of German origin) who sided with Austria against the Patriarch of Aquileia and were responsible for numerous outlaw incursions until their defeat in 1365 by the Patriarch.
The castle became property of the Venetian Republic in the 15th century; the Counts of Porcia purchased the fiefdom in 1503 and the castle was restored for use as a secondary residence. The earthquake of 1511 and the fire of 1560 were fatal: the site was definitively abandoned at the end of the 18th century and donated to the Municipality.
The castle complex has now been restored and houses a range of events: the defence walls, which originally surrounded the entire hill, some towers, and the now rebuilt residential domus can all be seen.
Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission
Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi 3 — 34132 Trieste
Phone: +39 040 3720142
Email: filmcommission@promoturismo.fvg.it
