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Rocca and Palazzo Monaldeschi in Bolsena: the castle on the lake and the museum that tells the story of its depths
Rocca Monaldeschi della Cervara (or Bolsena Castle) and Palazzo Monaldeschi stand just a short walk from each other in the upper part of Bolsena, overlooking the largest volcanic lake in Europe. Together they house the Territorial Museum of Lake Bolsena: the Rocca with its archaeological sections and aquarium, the Palazzo with underwater finds and a collection of medieval ceramics. Two buildings, a single visitor path - the Rocca opened first, in 1991, followed by the Palazzo in 2011.
A fortress built over three centuries
The Rocca started out life as a fortification in 1156, commissioned by Pope Adrian IV to defend the road now known as Via Cassia. The Monaldeschi - a Guelph family from Orvieto - later expanded and transformed it into a residence in the 15th century. It has four towers, all different in style: the largest dates back to the papacy of Boniface VIII, at the end of the 1200s. After being sacked by the Landsknechts in 1527, it went from residence to prison, then to warehouse. Inside you can see Etruscan and Roman artefacts, as well as the famous Throne of the Panthers.
The Palazzo and the Flying Fortress in the lake
Palazzo Monaldeschi is located in Piazzetta dell'Orologio. On the ground floor, the underwater archaeology section displays objects recovered from the lake bed, spanning from the Bronze Age to World War II. The most striking exhibit is the ball turret of an American B-17 “Flying Fortress”, which crashed into the lake in 1944 and was recovered in 2013 from a depth of 90 metres. There is also an exhibition area dedicated to Ars Wetana, the traditional Orvietan lace-making craft.
