The fortifications of the “three castles” of Bellinzona are among the most important surviving examples of medieval military architecture in the whole of the Alps. The entire complex, with its castles, walls, towers, battlements and gates, often leaves visitors lost for words. The three castle museums cover local history, art and archaeology, additionally staging temporary exhibitions. Also in Bellinzona, the magnificent neoclassical Teatro Sociale, the only 19th-century theatre in Switzerland, has been restored after 150 years to its original splendour. The town gallery Villa dei Cedri lies close to the Romanesque churches of San Biagio and Santa Maria delle Grazie. The renovation of the monastery at Monte Carasso has been hailed as an excellent example of successful planning, and a model of contemporary architecture – winning the Swiss Heritage Society’s Wakker Prize in 1993.