From a long distance one can see ruins of what was once a powerful citadel, rising above the small town. Proof of how important Padenghe was in ancient times.

The only thing left now are the walls built from large stones and three characteristic towers in the North West corner. Unfortunately, the middle part has collapsed completely; the fire holes are still visible in the main square tower, and one can still see where the heavy drawbridge was once located. But the history of Padenghe goes back way beyond that of the castle. Traces were found of occupation that go back all the way to prehistory and even the Romans have lived here. In the Middle Ages the castle belonged to the family of the Ghibellines, often referred to as the family of Hohenstaufen with Barbarossa as the most famous family member. Often, the citadel was the scene of a turbulent struggle, even thieves and robbers use it as their headquarters.
But today, it’s a location where one can take a nice stroll and enjoy the great view of Lake Garda, while thinking about all those turbulent events that happened here The church near the castle was devoted to San Emiliano. A part of this church dates back to the 12th century, but at the inside, one can see that some remodeling has take place during the baroque era.
Also close to the castle is the Villa Barbieri that dates back to the 18th century. The Villa has an interesting a rustic appearance. In the parish church, that was built at the end of the 17th century, nice paintings can be seen as well as sculptures of Antonio Callegari en Beniamino Sironi.

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