Castello Orsini-Odescalchi

Built in 1470, the Castello Orsini-Odescalchi towers above the volcanic Lake Bracciano about 40 kilometres north of Rome and ranks among Italy's best-preserved Renaissance fortresses. It was constructed by the Orsini family, related to the Borgias and source of several popes. In 1669 the Odescalchi family acquired the property and still own it today. The castle gained 21st-century fame above all through the 2006 wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, which triggered a global paparazzi spectacle. Inside, visitors can tour state rooms with frescoes by Antoniazzo Romano, antique weapon collections and libraries; the battlements open onto sweeping views of the lake and surrounding Sabine countryside.