Castiglione del Terziere Castle: A Cultural Gem in Lunigiana

The Castiglione del Terziere castle in Lunigiana, Italy, houses an art collection, a library, and historical archives, thanks to the efforts of philanthropist Loris Jacopo Bononi. Bononi, a physician and industrialist who led Pfizer's Italian division, purchased the dilapidated castle in 1969 and restored it over decades. The castle's origins date back to the 6th-7th century AD, and it became part of the Florentine Republic in 1451, serving as a government seat until the mid-18th century. After a period of decline, Bononi's restoration created the Centro Studi Umanistici Nicolò V (1973), a library with incunabula and rare editions, including an illustrated Divine Comedy by Gustave Doré. The exhibition space includes four rooms: two dedicated to paintings and furnishings, and two to the library. The collection features portraits of the Medici family, a bed once belonging to Pope Julius II, and archaeological artifacts. After Bononi's death in 2012, his partner Raffaella Paoletti managed the site until her death in September 2023. The Comitato Omnia Vanitas now oversees the preservation and public access, aiming to establish a foundation. The castle's mission, as Bononi wrote, is to preserve memories of the land and its people.