At the end of via Fontane del Duca there is an open space, once enclosed by ancient walls that have been destroyed. The 20 m tall Farnesian Donjon still rises here , as outpost against the enemies.Raised between 1527 and 1535 by Bosio 2nd from Santa Fiora and interrupted at his death, it’s a rare example of square plan building, probably meant to be a victual storage. It was completed by Sforza Sforza or by Francesco Sforza. Its made of fire bricks.
Inside it is divided into 5 levels, ther is a square room per floor, with rounded off corners and covered by a segmental vault. It’s connected to three octagonal rooms, also covered by a vault, while the fourth one hosts a helicoidal ladder. The tower was connected to the duke’s palace by means of two wooden galleries, as shown by the two posterns, which are currenty walled,and may be seen from the outside .
Since the end of 2009, the Farnese Donjon hosts the Arms School Gens Innominabilis.
Gens Innominabilis is a cultural sporting association founded in Castell’Arquato in 2005 with the aim of reviving the Middle Ages in all its popular and combat forms.
