Castel Sismondo (Sismondo Castle), Rimini

The Castle Sismondo is named after its creator, the feudal lord Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. He was lord of Rimini and the coastal town of Fano until he died in 1468. The castle is located in Malatesta Square and is one of the city's most important monuments. Today's remains were once a majestic fortified palace, a manifestation of Malatesta's power and prestige.

Construction began in 1437 and lasted almost 15 years. It is known that Malatesta designed the castle, although several architects worked on the building, including the architect Filippo Brunelleschi, who had also designed the dome of Florence Cathedral.

Enormous towers and dense, slanted walls shaped the castle. The main entrance was guarded by a double ravelin (fortified island) and a drawbridge. The tops of the walls are crenelated with merlons (notched battlements).

The castle covers 3,300 square meters. It has the three-floor Isotta wing for Sigismondo's wife, a central courtyard, and a massive keep. In 1821 the building served as barracks for the local Carabinieri. The walls were partially demolished, and the towers disappeared. Outer walls, the surrounding trench, and what remained of the structure became a prison until 1967.

After a period of decline, the edifice is used for cultural exhibitions. Since 2020, the complex has become a vast museum dedicated to filmmaker Federico Fellini.