Here is a picture of Soncino castle from the air [pic courtesy of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.]:
![[Image: SONCINO_03-Fotoaerea.jpg]](http://www.clubacistorico.it/fileadmin/documents/Images/Foto_Rassegna_Stampa/user_upload/SONCINO_03-Fotoaerea.jpg)
Now look closely at how the bricks in the first story are a different color from the bricks in the second story. Now look at the very top part of the tower on the right under the merlons, where the bricks are much redder...
That often means there has been construction with slightly different materials, sometimes at a different time period. It's possible that all that remains of the original castle is the first story (or less).
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Maybe it had Ghibelline merlons at some point in its earlier history. They were more common in this region. But you cannot assume so from a modern photograph. You have to do quite a bit of research and sometimes there are no records to prove it one way or the other.
Now look closely at how the bricks in the first story are a different color from the bricks in the second story. Now look at the very top part of the tower on the right under the merlons, where the bricks are much redder...
That often means there has been construction with slightly different materials, sometimes at a different time period. It's possible that all that remains of the original castle is the first story (or less).
.
Maybe it had Ghibelline merlons at some point in its earlier history. They were more common in this region. But you cannot assume so from a modern photograph. You have to do quite a bit of research and sometimes there are no records to prove it one way or the other.