The scary tradition in the Fortress of Castrocaro
Land of legends and ancient traditions, Tuscany Romagna is rich with many little treasures and curiosities that dot the “official” history. One of these is undoubtedly hidden in the splendid Medieval Fortress of Castrocaro, and it is a bloody secret, as is rightly appropriate for that historical period.
This is the so-called Caterina Sforza’s «pozzo a rasoi». The upper part of the Fortress, called “Girone”, hides a very deep well, today unfortunately cluttered with debris that prevent you from seeing well what it contains. But the tradition is very clear on the real use of the well: it would be a trap in which the countess threw her lovers, once they had become “uncomfortable”. The particular name of the well suggests that the objects contained within it were arranged in such a way as to guarantee that, if the fall had not been enough to get rid of the victim completely, the blades would have thought about it.
Truth or legend? The encumbrance of the well prevents us from discovering it, but it is a fact that in many other castles of that period diabolical devices very similar to this have been discovered. What is certain is that Caterina Sforza was a woman out of the ordinary, warrior and adventuress. He married many times and was the mother of the legendary Giovanni dalle Bande Nere.
These exceptional qualities, combined with an undeniable sensuality due to his stormy love life, helped define the particular use of the «pozzo a rasoi».
A document of the time tells us that it is 95 Florentine arms deep, about 55 meters. Those visiting the Fortress of Castrocaro can still admire its entrance… but be careful not to lean too far!
