One of the essentials of our visit to the Lunigiana in Tuscany was to visit the Fortezza de Brunella in Aulla. This was owned by the Waterfield family until the early seventies when it was compulsarily purchased by the Italian government. Several great books have been written about this family in Italy, best I think A Tuscan Childhood* by Kinta Beevor (father of historian Anthony and Aunt of my friend and ex-boss Michael Waterfield.) which is all about this fortress.
After a long trudge up the rain destroyed avenue we were disappointed to find it closed but took some shots of the outside anyway. On the way back down we met a determined young lady braving the avenue in a Fiat 500, she told us she could let us in.
The Italians had in their wisdom decided to destroy Aubery Waterfields renowned roof garden (much admired by Twain and DH Lawrence) and turn the place into a natural history museum full of motheaten fauna. Still the essence of the place lived on and we were delighted with the chance to see the inside and the magnificent views down the valley of the Aulla and the river.

*The book is a charming period piece and well worth getting your hands on .