Many of us grow up with the bed time stories and dreams of medieval castles, royalty, and intricate lot lines full of drama. While these ideas may seem like fairy tales only found between the pages of our children books, you may be surprised to find out that all this may in fact be more realistic than initially perceived. Locked in the walls of The Pazzi Family Palace (known today as Castello del Trebbio) is the architecture and Game of Thrones plotline that we thought was confined to our imaginations and TV screens.
Exterior and interior basilica of the castle.
The Castle
The story begins with the Pazzi family, one of Tusany’s richest families during the Middle Ages. The word “pazzi” translates to the English “crazies,” and this could not be even more telling of the drama tied to their name. As they were part of Florence’s aristocratic population, it was very typical that the architecture of their home would incorporate their family crest to portray their stature. Most of the crests have been removed over the centuries, however one still remains and is in its typical position displayed a top the main door leading to the interior of the home from the courtyard. This remaining crest was in fact made by the famous Renaissance artist, Donatello. The crest includes two scaled dolphins and five crosses. These five crosses represent the five family members who fought in the Crusades. One member was so enthusiastic and brave, running ahead of the frontlines to fight, he was given a nickname “crazy” or “pazzo,” and his family became the Pazzi (“crazies”).
The Pazzi family crest above the entrance from the basilica.
The castle is located on the outskirts of Florence upon a hill which was priority real estate for rich families like the Pazzis as they would watch for intruders and other threats coming from the valley. It is constructed in the 12th century of stone which was typical of the time as the Middle Ages brought about tools which allowed for more precise cutting of stone for homes. It was later expanded through the following centuries. Another typical architectural feature is the open courtyard upon entering the main doorway. The courtyard, often called the basilica or bailey, includes pointed arches which are very typical of Florentine and Italian construction during the Middle Ages, and can be seen in other buildings such as the Duomo. However, the castle has been modernized a bit to include running water and electricity as it is currently a winery and home to the owners, the Baj Macari Family.
The Conspiracy
If only walls could talk! These would definitely have a long story to tell (or would possibly contribute to the plot line of an episode or two of Game of Thrones). The castle was the planning location of one of the more famous conspiracies of the Middle Ages. As stated, the Pazzi family was one of the richest families in Tuscany, but never the richest. As they jumped from top three to top five and vice versa over the years, they never reached the number one spot which was held with an iron fist by the Medici family. The Medicis ruled Florence for about 500 years and engaged in election falsification and corruption to make sure they remained in charge. Francesco Pazzi decided it was time for his family to rule and began to plan to collude with other Medici rivals to assassinate the two patriarchs of the Medici family, Lorenzo and Giuliano. But Francesco has friends in high places as his fellow colluders were Girolamo Riario (nephew of Pope Sixtus IV) along with the Pope himself, archbishops, and other leaders of the Catholic Church. The Pope and other planners visited the castle on multiple occasions to plan the assassination, and you can visit the Conspiracy Room in the castle today named after the multiple meetings. On April 26th, 1478 the same day as Easter Sunday, the assassination attempt began as it was one of the few times the two Medici brothers would be in the same place. At start of Easter Mass in the Duomo, Francesco di’Pazzi was successful in killing Giuliano Medici, stabbing him 19 times. However, the armed priests who tried to assassinate Lorenzo were less successful. Lorenzo survived and become the patriarch of the Medici family, exiling the Pazzi family and purging any suspected enemies. Over 300 people died in Florence within the days following the assassination.
The Wine
What makes this castle really special is the fact that it utilizes its medieval architecture to serve a modern purpose. Instead of being converted into a museum, like most historical buildings, the Pazzi castle has been renamed to Castello del Trebbio and is a full functioning winery. Now, you can visit the castle and try some of the wine that is produced there. The basement of the castle has been converted into a fermenting area for their Chianti wine. The typical stone basement with circular tunnels is perfect for storing the large oak barrels of wine. This space was quite common in large homes as there was no electricity to keep food cold and was used by the Pazzi family as a medieval version of a refrigerator. They would pile the back room with snow and keep cheese, meat and other perishables there for storage. However, without the snow the temperature is still cool and perfect for wine production, maintaining a steady, cool temperature throughout the entire year despite the outside weather. You can venture to the basement and see the barrels, bottles, and all stages of the wine production process underneath the ground level of the castle.
Basement of the castle where the one is fermented and stored .
What is so interesting about this structure is the way it reminds its visitors of the Italian medieval way of life, yet is still used to serve a modern purpose. Just because architecture may seem antiquated doesn’t mean it can’t still be used as a home or to serve another purpose. The castle’s architecture isn’t just something to walk through and marvel at its beauty, it is a fully functioning business nestled in an atmosphere straight out of your favorite fairy tale.