Like
almost everything else in the area, Rocca Scalgera
(also occasionally known as Sirmione Castle) was built
by one of the great families of Verona. The Della
Scallas got their wealth and power the really old
fashioned way -- they inherited it. And the only way
to hold onto power like that is to wield it, flaunt
it, and use it. The castle is the result of that need
to show just how important they were. So important
that they needed to build an entire castle The castle
is on a spit of land that pokes two and a half miles
out into Lake Garda, making it not only exceptionally
peaceful, but also easy to defend in case of attack.
And when you're surrounded on three sides by water,
what better way to defend against attack than with
ships. Rocca Scaligera eventually became home to the
Dells Scalla family's fleet of warships which they
used to patrol their kingdom. Today, the city of Sirmione
remains an isolated haven from the rest of the world.
While the drawbridge has been replaced by a pedestrian
walkway, cars are not permitted unless you're a guest
of one of the local hotels. People still flock to
the area for its hot mineral springs and the peace
afforded by its distance from the mainland -- just
as they did in Roman times.
