The ghosts in the Castle of Monselice

Monselice is a splendid medieval town located on the hills south of Padova, offering stunning views on the surrounding landscape.

The most famous attraction of the town is the castle, composed of four main sections and a fortress that were constructed and renovated between the 11th and 16th century.

On the left side of the castle, you can see the profile of the Ezzelino tower, erected in the 13th century by the fierce tyrant who was renowned for his cruelty but also for his bravery in battle.

According to local legends, the Castle of Monselice is haunted by three ghosts: Avalda, Ezzelino’s lover, Jacopino da Carrara, a nobleman who lived in Monselice, and Giuditta, Jacopino’s lover.

Avalda practiced witchcraft and was accustomed to dealing with poison. Once the tyrant’s interest for her faded, her arts proved to be useless: having discovered her evil dealing, Ezzelino murdered her by a hitman in the Monselice castle, where she still wanders in a white dress drained in blood…

Jacopino Da Carrara, nominated lord of Padova in December 1350 alongside his uncle Francesco, was imprisoned in the castle given the uncle’s accusations that Jacopino was plotting against him. He spent seventeen years in the castle without being permitted to go out: in the end, he was ‘sentenced’ to death by starvation… In fact, his ghost is thin and with long white hair!

His lover, Giuditta, who was unaware of Jacopino’s destiny right until the end, still wanders around the castle and in the night time, when all is dark, she asks visitors about the fate of her Jacopino.

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