Ponte Bosio castle

Castles and Fortresses

On the left bank of the Taverone torrent, downstream of Licciana Nardi, you’ll find the small hamlet of Pontebosio. Its name derives from an old arched bridge (a necessary throughway going towards the parish churches of Soliera and Venelia), which owes its name to a famed historic figure, Boso or Bosio, a member of the noble Bosi della Verrucola family – the family most likely behind the construction of the town’s main castle. In the hamlet’s piazza you’ll find the beautiful 17th-century castle that once functioned as a noble residence. It was later transformed into a seminary and eventually a middle school, while today it contains luxury homes. Its current appearance still flaunts its history as an imposing military structure.

The Baroque-style parish church was built by order of Ferdinando Malaspina, a structure that replaced the old oratory. Across the street you’ll find the Poderetto Castle built by the Malaspina di Podenzana family. From town, passing under the “vota” (vault) check out the age-old mill, a structure still boasting inactive millstones. And be sure to head to riverbank where you’ll find the remains of an old paper mill. [from visittuscany.com]