In 1054 the presence of a castle, or of a fortified structure, was recorded, in 1439 further evidence was discovered, in which it was clarified that the castle was located near the Church of San Carpoforo, on land where the current Casa Tencalla is found.

On the mountain side, where the old road that connected Bissone to Campione ran, the village was entirely sealed off by a defensive wall, within which some gate doors would be closed at night, according to the custom of the times, to stop wild animals from entering. In addition to these, a gate door sealed off the village from the south around the castle area, while another one was found in the northern area, where the swimming pool is currently located. This third one, arch-shaped and decorated by the Bissone painter Carpoforo Tencalla, was destroyed towards

the end of the 18th century. The toponym “da drépóspòrta” (literally ‘beyond the door’), still indicates nowadays the lands beyond it.

Una delle porte nel muro di cinta.

Un’altra porta nell’antico muro di cinta.