The Castello dell'Aquila, an imposing fortified structure dating back to the Late Middle Ages, dominates the medieval village of Gragnola and the confluence of the streams Lucido and Aulella. Its origin is shrouded in mystery, and its current appearance is the result of an accurate restoration lasting ten years, completed in early 2000. The structure includes a quadrilateral keep and three corner towers, with a raised inner courtyard surrounded by walls with Guelph battlements. Belonged to the Marquises Malaspina dello Spino Fiorito, the castle is one of the largest in Lunigiana. During restoration work in 2004, a skeleton of a 14th century knight was discovered, killed by a crossbow dart still lodged between the cervical vertebrae. This medieval enigma, with an unnamed knight, continues to intrigue and inspire scientific studies and dissertations in the field of anthropology and forensic medicine. Currently, the castle is temporarily closed.
