Overview
Just a few minutes on foot from Ravenna train station, the Rocca Brancaleone is a mighty fortification dating back to 1457, when Venice took control of the city. The building, with its evident military and defensive purpose, was intended to protect the city on the northeast side and stem any internal rebellion. Having passed to civilian use with the unification of Italy, in the 1970s it was adapted into an open-air theatre for concerts, operas, film screenings and festivals, such as the Ravenna Jazz Festival.
The fortress is divided into two parts: the fortress proper, where the castle warden resided, and the citadel, which housed the troops stationed there and is now equipped as a children's play area. Above the entrance to the fortress, in the Chapel Tower, you can see two bas-reliefs, one depicting the Lion of San Marco and the other a Madonna and Child. The building consists of eight towers. More specifically, these are: the Torrione della Scala, the Torrione dell'Olio, the Torrione della Munizione, the Torrione della Cittadella, the Torrione di Mezzo, the Torrione dell 'Orto, the Torrione Rotto and the Torre Fiorentina or Torre della Ghiacciaia.
Entry to the fortress and garden is free all year round, from 8 am to midnight. You can get there either on foot or via bus lines 2, 3 and 5. If you prefer to travel by car, the area has free and paid parking.
