Description of the attraction
Castello Sonnino rises on a cliff jutting into the sea a few kilometers from Livorno, in the town of Romito. The construction of the castle began at the end of the 19th century, when Baron Sydney Sonnino decided to acquire his own residence here. To do this, he acquired a small plot of land on which stood a 16th-century fortress, built by order of the Medici on the site of another fortification, which was also part of the coastal defensive system.
The construction of Castello Sonnino consisted of the expansion and lifting of the fortress known as Torre San Salvatore, a square tower with a bastion to house artillery. In 1895, a chapel was built nearby, which still exists today and is surrounded by a luxurious flowering garden.
Sonnino, a prominent figure in Italian politics, was very attached to his Livornian residence: a sullen and stern man, he was fascinated by the seclusion of the place and the beauty of the coast, which could be admired from the upper floors of the castle. The baron wanted to be buried on the territory of his estate, and therefore, after his death in 1922, his ashes were buried in one of the grottoes.
Today Castello Sonnino is privately owned and therefore closed to the public. Only sometimes, on special occasions, the owners allow tourists to visit the castle. Near the castle there is a small pier with a small turret that can accommodate up to 10 boats.
Castello Sonnino itself is built in a medieval style: it is crowned with a row of battlements that give the building a formidable look. The appearance of the castle is quite strict - the only decoration is a wooden door with graceful inlaid in the Gothic style.
