The first record on castle dates back to 1164. In 1269 because of political discords with local inhabitants it was leveled to the ground by the army of the nearby city of Lucca. The castle became the seat of the marquises of Massa. It was visited by Dante Alighieri, who supposedly envisioned the descending circles of Hell, that inspired the corresponding part of his Divine Comedy. According to legend, Dante saw the great funnel-shaped cave lying below, surrounded by a series of ledges with the slopes converging to the stream.