Castello Boccale (Boccale Castle), Livorno

Boccale Castle (Castello Boccale) is a striking residential building located south of Livorno's Antignano district, along the coastal road to Quercianella, in a scenic area known as Pirates' Cove or Boccale. This dramatic coastal setting adds to the castle’s allure, as it perches on the cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, blending historical significance with modern adaptation.

The castle's origins date back to the 16th century when it served as a Medici watchtower, known as the Devil's Tower. It was constructed to defend the coastline, possibly on the ruins of an older Pisan structure from medieval times. At the time, it was a modest military post with space for just a castellan and a few soldiers, as its size restricted artillery placement.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the tower underwent significant changes. It was incorporated into a neo-medieval style residence with battlements, making it the property of Marquise Eleonora Ugolini. The castle was later passed to the Whitaker-Ingham family, who further transformed it by removing the battlements and adding more conventional sloped roofs.

In the early 2000s, after a period of neglect, the castle was restored by Livorno architect Ivano Falchini. The restoration divided the structure into several residential apartments and included the reconstruction of a small tower within the park for storage purposes.

The complex is designed in a rectangular layout, featuring three small round towers and the original Medici tower, which was modified over time. The main body of the castle is notable for its two levels of large, stone-framed windows and a line of corbels running beneath the eaves, where battlements once stood before their removal during the early 20th-century renovations.

Boccale Castle remains an impressive blend of history and architectural evolution, standing near other significant landmarks like the Calafuria Tower and Sonnino Castle along the picturesque Romito cliffs.