Castello di Montebello (dei Maltraverso)

Emperor Frederick I of Germany grants Albert Maltraverso, in 1154, the castle on the hill of Montebello and invests him with the title of Count. This is the first certain document regarding the existence of a stronghold on that hill which extends to dominate the rich plain on the border between Vicenza and Verona, a necessary passage between the last foothills of Lessinia and the Berici mountain range.
The fortress must have existed for a long time, and the same imperial investiture could refer to a 'de facto' regularization of the situation or an elevation of rank for the wealthy Maltraverso family.
In the territory of Montebello, significant artifacts dating back to the Roman and even pre-Roman era have been found, attesting to the importance of that convenient observation point on the major communication route that the Postumia road was, between Verona and Vicenza.

The castle became a highly strategic location during the struggles between the medieval lordships. Not far away, and in optical connection, are the castles of Villa and Bellaguardia (Juliet and Romeo's Castles in Montecchio Maggiore) and the Rocca di Brendola. Toward Verona, the nearby rich castle of Gambellara, but the extraordinary concentration of castles in the area is also reinforced by the castles of Montorso and Arzignano.
The fortunes and history of this group of castles are almost similar and events can be attributed indistinctly now to one and now to the other.
The surroundings suffered raids from the fierce troops of Ezzellino III da Romano, who on that occasion besieged and destroyed the castles of Gambellara and Montorso.

In the 13th century, the castle was held by the Carraresi, a Padua lordship, but the village and the castle itself were besieged and pillaged several times by the Veronese.
In 1313, the castle passed to Cangrande della Scala, who committed to a radical restoration and reinforcement. For a brief time, all the territory, and thus also the castle of Montebello, was in the hands of the Milanese lordship of the Visconti.

Finally, it was the turn of the Venetians who from 1400 gathered all the territory of the Veneto mainland into the 'stato da tera.' The castle lost its strategic importance and, in the early years of the 1500s during the war against the League of Cambrai, was dismantled as a military fortress in an attempt to avoid providing logistical support to the invaders. The same fate befell the nearby Rocca di Brendola.

Subsequently, the structure was sold to private owners and transformed into a prestigious noble residence.
At its feet, in 1796, bloody episodes took place between the Napoleonic army and Austrian troops.

Currently, the castle is not open to visitors and is privately owned.