Rocca d’Anfo is complex of steep fortifications on lake Idro measuring a total of 50 hectares. It was first extended and then partially destroyed. What is left today is the merger of two bastions, a Venetian bastion, the most ancient part built in the South, and another Napoleonic bastion dating back to the 15th century.
The earlier Venetian section of the complex is called “Batteria Venezia” and looks like a church if viewed from the street, because a bell tower was built on its top before the last battle. The Venetian stairway consist of a first flight of 162 steps, on top of which another flight of 336 was built. On both sides, steps are enclosed between two thin walls through which embrasures were pierced. Here harquebuses were aimed at assaulters. With the arrival of Napoleon, Rocca d’Anfo was reused as a defensive system against the Austrians. The climb continues into an excavated tunnel with skylights opening here and there. The tunnel leads to the topmost part, a granite and brick observatory tower shaped in perfect geometry. The whole structure took 10 years to be built, but the French did not manage to complete its construction.
To book guided tours, contact the local tourism agency on +390365.83224