Torri del Benaco Historical Timeline

Origins

The rock above Torri carries prehistoric engravings -- figures, weapons and symbols pecked into the stone in the Bronze Age or earlier, part of a wider group found along this shore.

Turning points

The site was fortified early, and in 1383 Antonio della Scala rebuilt the castle in the form that stands today, completing Verona's chain of lake fortresses.

Influential people

Under Venice the town became a fishing and trading harbour, and the Serenissima granted the lake communities fishing rights that shaped the local economy for centuries.

Cultural evolution

In 1760 a limonaia was built against the castle wall -- a lemon house of tall stone pillars, roofed and glazed each winter to shelter citrus trees that could not otherwise survive. Lemon growing was a serious Garda industry until cheaper southern fruit and disease ended it.

Present-day significance

The castle is now a museum covering the petroglyphs, the lake's fishing traditions and the lemon industry -- and the limonaia beside it is still planted.