The Castle’s history, from Renaissance grandeur to the Hasburg d’Este dynasty

A castle designed to amaze, in a grand way. Built in the 16th century by the powerful Obizzi family, it stands on a pre-existing residential complex, now called Casa di Beatrice, once known as Cà del Tajo, after the artificial canal that gave its name to the entire structure, where Beatrice Pio Di Carpi, wife of Gasparo Obizzi, lived.

The most imposing part, known as Castel Vecchio, was built by his son Pio Enea Obizzi between 1570 and 1573. It was intended to be a place of celebration and delight, a means of expressing the family’s desire for recognition and social advancement, a grandeur that has made it one of the most striking buildings in Italy.

A one-of-a-kind residence that has served as a princely villa, a literary gathering place, an imperial palace, and a hub of European social life, today the largest private residence in Italy.

With the extinction of the Obizzi family in 1803, by will, the castle became the property of the Este Habsburgs, a “new” dynasty born from the union between the last descendant of the Este family of Modena, Maria Beatrice Ricciarda, and Ferdinand of Habsburg-Lorraine, son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

It was their son Francis IV and his wife Maria Beatrice of Savoy who, in the first half of the 19th century, made the palace an important center of power and social life, which reached its peak on October 4, 1838, with the visit of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria and his wife Maria Anna of Savoy, with a sumptuous party that also featured the celebrated composer Franz Liszt on the Catajo terraces.

The Second Life of Catajo Castle

In 1875, with the death of Francis V of Modena, the castle’s subsequent owner, Catajo was left to Franz Ferdinand of Habsburg, heir to the throne of Austria, who was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914.

After years of neglect, it was purchased at auction in 2015 by entrepreneur Sergio Cervellin, captivated by its charm. Cervellin then embarked on a major restoration project, still ongoing, which has brought the castle back to its former splendor with the aim of preserving its soul and history.

The Garden of Earthly Delights: an Eden of centuries-old plants and exceptional blooms

Once you cross the bridge leading to the Castle, the marvelous park unfolds before you, a triumph of botany and symbolism. Many centuries-old trees, including two majestic magnolias, among the oldest in Europe, frame the view of the castle, and the hornbeam gallery, a green tunnel dating back to the 17th century that allowed ladies to stroll without sunbathing and is still fully accessible today.

Continuing the walk, from the southern shore of the lake, one of the most evocative views opens up, from which you can admire the castle reflected in the water and surrounded by water lilies. Then, walking along its walls, you can immerse yourself in the extraordinary blooms, from irises to ancient roses.

The Monumental Entrance and the Courtyard of the Giants

As soon as you enter, you’re greeted by the Courtyard of the Giants, which holds a fascinating engineering record: it was designed to be flooded. Thanks to a complex hydraulic system, the space was transformed into a water theater where naumachiae, simulated naval battles, were staged, an entertainment rarely seen outside of the Roman imperial courts or the great European palaces.

Directly opposite is the original Elephant Fountain, built in the 17th century at the behest of Pio Enea II Obizzi and attributed to the Roman sculptor Lattanzio Maschio. The elephant (ridden by Bacchus, god of wine and intoxication) was chosen to strengthen the link between the Castle and the 17th-century legend that held Catajo to be a reproduction of the palace of Cathay, the region of northern China visited by Marco Polo and described in his work Il Milione.

The Renaissance fresco cycle and panoramic terraces

Ascending to the Piano Nobile, one finds the first self-celebratory pictorial cycle of the Renaissance, the work of Giovanni Battista Zelotti, Paolo Veronese’s most talented collaborator, who decorated the walls with the exploits of the Obizzi family, including battles, weddings, and crusades.

Facing Castel Vecchio is the large sixteenth-century terrace, conceived as a vast open-air ballroom, a place where summer parties were held. It also served as a “box” for admiring the performances held in the Cortile dei Giganti and on the other terraces, conceived as “stages” that followed one another in a theatrical crescendo.

The Private Apartments of the Habsburg-Este Archdukes and the Family Chapel

Opened in 2024 after extensive restoration work, the private apartments of Catajo Castle occupy the second level of Castel Vecchio. Ten rooms recount the life of Francis IV of Habsburg-Este and Maria Beatrice of Savoy in the 19th century.

Another “secret” of the castle is its family chapel. Commissioned by the Habsburg-Este family before 1838 for the visit of the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I and his wife Maria Anna of Savoy, it was entirely constructed of carved and gilded wood, representing a unique example of neo-Gothic architecture in Italy.

Catajo Castle was built to amaze, and even today, the “wow” effect, thanks to the immense work of Sergio Cervellin, director Marco Moressa, and their team, is evident in every stone, step, wall, and rose garden, once again the focus of dreamlike private parties.

The Secret

Like all respectable castles, Catajo Castle also harbors a tragic legend: that of Lucrezia Obizzi, murdered in 1654. Her blood was indelibly imprinted on a stone in the floor, which is now preserved inside the castle as a relic. It is said that her ghost, known as the Blue Lady, still appears to the most sensitive visitors, manifesting as an ethereal figure wandering through the halls of the main floor and the terraces.

Useful Info

Castello del Catajo
Via Catajo 1
35041 Battaglia Terme, Padova
Tel. +39 349 9347190

Self-guided tour of the Renaissance main floor and exterior: €11 full price
“The Never Seen Catajo” tour, which includes the Renaissance main floor and the private apartments: €18 full price