The village lies on a peninsula that juts out from the West of the Lake Trasimeno, the body of water most likely considered “sacred” along whose shores were built Etruscan temples.
The first occupation of the place is documented from the century. VI A.C. by the Etruscans of Chiusi.
The name of Castiglione del Lago comes from the medieval Castilionis which indicated a place protected by ancient fortifications. Labeled Castilionis Clusinum , as included in the territory of Chiusi, it is so indicated already by the X century
In X century the country and its territory are donated by Otto III to the monastery of Campoleone, located near Arezzo. Because of considerable strategic importance it is the subject of bitter disputes between Perugia, Cortona and Arezzo. In 1184 it became part of the territory of Perugia that, from the XIII century repeatedly restored its walls and, in the second half of the XII century builds Rocca. For it had been suggested an intervention of Frederick II, but the total lack of documentation about it does not allow to verify their reliability.
In 1424, following the defeat suffered at l’Aquila by Braccio da Montone Fortinbras “Lord of Perugia” in its attempt to invade the Papal States, the country with its territory, the Chiugi Perugino and Lake Trasimeno are donated by Perugia to the Church who will retain ownership until the unification of Italy.
In 1550, Pope Julius III granted Castiglione del Lago and the territory between the Trasimeno and the Chiana River to sister Giacoma widow of Francesco della Corgna from Perugia.
Thus he began the domination of this family, appointed Marquis of Castiglione del Lago and Chiugi in 1563, and the Dukes of Castiglione del Lago in 1616, redesigns the urban structure of the town redesigned around the new and majestic residence: the palace of Corgna .
The feud ended with the death of the duke Fulvio Alessandro in 1647. The town and the territory back under the control of the Papal States.
THE OLD TOWN
The old town is surrounded by medieval walls of the XII-XIII centuries, and is divided into two parts. The eastern part is occupied by the palace of Corgna and Rocca at which, in the early XX century was constructed the Hospital of St. Augustine. Currently there are three gates to the country: the door Fiorentina (the second half of XVI century), the door of the Perugina XIII century and port Senese, an ancient medieval postern rebuilt and enlarged in the first half of the XX century. Three streets and three squares. Along the two parallel main streets, Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via del Forte, originated from renewed urban structure wanted by the Corgna, there arise the two places of worship of Castiglione del Lago. Made between 1836 and 1860, designed by G. Caproni, the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena it is located along the main street and it houses frescoes M.Piervittori, a shovel depicting the Madonna and Child, St. Anthony Abate and Santa Maria Maddalena, built in 1500 by Eusebio da San Giorgio, a pupil of Perugino, and a fresco depicting the Madonna del Latte di Orvieto school of the XIV century.
The church of San Domenico is located in Via del Forte. It was commissioned by the duke Fulvio Alessandro della Corgna in 1638 in gratitude for the healing of his wife Eleonora de Mendoza suffering from gangrene to the arm. After years of ineffective treatment Duchess healed thanks to the oil, considered miraculous, from the votive lamp placed before the image of the saint in a church in Soriano Calabro.
Inside are the graves of the poet C. Caporali and the duke Fulvio Alessandro.
A small museum, along with the surgical instruments used to cure the disease of the Duchess, the liturgical furnishings original church, a fresco of the first of 500 attributed to Spain and statues of the centuries XV, XVI and XVII.
