Vacationing with the Gods

First created as a fortress, the castle of Sassuolo became a delizia, a place for amusements and leisure, the pride and joy of the House of Este. This is the fate of nearly all castles: their massive curtain walls, barbicans, ravelins, crenelations and keeps were all structures whose form was dictated by the requirements of war and siege. Renovated for more peaceful living, over time castles have become prestigious homes, museums, hotels, even B&Bs. It is a progression not unlike that of mazes and labyrinths, which were originally conceived as places of confinement, but have now become theaters of comfortable, pleasant amusement. In both cases, efforts have been made to improve upon a violent past or erase it entirely – but such efforts are often only partly successful.