Photo: Capricornis crispus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Middle Ages, 15th century
- Commissioned by
- House of Castiglione
- Area
- 1,000 m²
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 45°49′44″ N, 8°48′08″ E
- Address
- Via Cola di Rienzo, 42, 21100 Varese
History and description
The Castello di Masnago is a castle, now a civic art museum, located atop a hill on Via Cola di Rienzo number 42 in Mantegazza Park in the quartiere of Masnago of the town of Varese, region of Lombardy, Italy. The oldest part of the castle is an 11th-century crenellated tower, much rebuilt over the centuries. On the ground floor, there is a frescoed room, the Sala degli Svaghi, and on the first floor, two exhibition rooms – Sala dei Vizi and delle Virtù. Some of the latter frescoes pertain to the 15th-century school of Bonifacio Bembo.
The art museum has works by the Procaccini family, del Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli (commonly Morazzone e di Pietro Antonio Magatti, among more modern artists are Innocente Salvini, Enrico Bay, and Renato Guttuso.
The Castello di Masnago stands on top of a large lawn.
Parco Mantegazza
The Parco Mantegazza also contains a small botanical garden, which has numerous varieties of trees and shrubs. Inside, you can see and admire various types of plants typical of the Mediterranean vegetation, including the Leccio and the Corbezzolo.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Masnago Castle».
Timeline
- 15th centuryBuilt
- 1995Opened
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Varese CasbenoTrain, nearest
1.7 km as the crow flies
Masnago CastleVia Cola di Rienzo, 42, 21100 Varese
Imbarco Isola Virginia6.8 km
Aeroporto di Lugano-Agno21.3 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore castles in Lombardy
Frequently asked questions
Where is Masnago Castle?
Masnago Castle is in Varese, in the province of Varese (Lombardy), Italy. Address: Via Cola di Rienzo, 42, 21100 Varese. GPS coordinates: 45.82886, 8.80231.
How old is Masnago Castle?
Wikidata dates it to the 15th century.
What else is there to see near Masnago Castle?
Nearby you’ll find: Villa Baragiola (400 m away), Museo Tattile Varese (400 m away), Palace Hotel (900 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 4 photos
- Torre del castello di Masnago - Varese — Capricornis crispus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello di Masnago 0617 — Phyrexian, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello di Masnago, Varese 17 — Carlo Dell'Orto, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Masnago 0817 — Phyrexian, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences