Visit the small grim Strozzavolpe castle near Poggibonsi in the province of Siena in Tuscany and learn about the huge array of eerie myths and legends that envelop it! Visitors wishing to stay in the Poggibonsi area for a few days have a fine selection of great holiday rentals available to them.
There are tales of countless ghosts that haunt the walls of this thousand year old castle but two in particular stand out. One is the story of when the castle was being constructed. A wild animal, described as looking like a huge fox or wolf is said to have terrorised the builders and the castle owner, called Bonifacio.
He was outraged that this creature was causing such a disruption and planned to get his revenge. He strangled the creature with a rope and buried its body within the foundations of the castle. It’s believed that the castle got its name from this grisly tale as it's called Strozzavolpe and the Italian translation of fox is ‘volpe’. Many locals have claimed to have heard the howling of this doomed creature at night as it seeks revenge on Bonifacio for killing it.
There are tales of countless ghosts that haunt the walls of this thousand year old castle but two in particular stand out. One is the story of when the castle was being constructed. A wild animal, described as looking like a huge fox or wolf is said to have terrorised the builders and the castle owner, called Bonifacio.
He was outraged that this creature was causing such a disruption and planned to get his revenge. He strangled the creature with a rope and buried its body within the foundations of the castle. It’s believed that the castle got its name from this grisly tale as it's called Strozzavolpe and the Italian translation of fox is ‘volpe’. Many locals have claimed to have heard the howling of this doomed creature at night as it seeks revenge on Bonifacio for killing it.
Another spirit that is said to haunt Strozzavolpe castle is the ghost of Cassandra Franceschi. She was a woman who once lived here and one day was caught by her husband in bed with the butler! The furious husband killed them both and buried their corpses somewhere within the castle walls. Cassandra is said to roam around the castle seeking forgiveness from her husband, doomed to be trapped between this life and the next.
Other ghosts floating about are thought to be those of some of the workmen that died during the construction of the castle and were harshly tossed into a shallow pit instead of being respected with proper funerals.
Other ghosts floating about are thought to be those of some of the workmen that died during the construction of the castle and were harshly tossed into a shallow pit instead of being respected with proper funerals.
Visitors to this mysterious castle are sure to enjoy a day of haunting tales and it’s guaranteed to be a wonderful addition to your holiday to Tuscany. Read our related articles on other famous Tuscan legends.
This article and perhaps several others could help you plan an exciting few days of discovering Tuscany’s bloodied history as well as exploring the best food, wine and activities the region has to offer during your dream vacation!
This article and perhaps several others could help you plan an exciting few days of discovering Tuscany’s bloodied history as well as exploring the best food, wine and activities the region has to offer during your dream vacation!