Castello del Principe description and photos - Italy: Belvedere Marittimo (Topic)

Castello del Principe description and photos - Italy: Belvedere Marittimo. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Castello del Principe.

Photo and description

Castello del Principe in the resort town of Belvedere Marittimo is considered one of the most beautiful and well-preserved castles in the Italian region of Calabria. It was built in the second half of the 11th century by order of the Norman ruler Roger. Probably, initially its dimensions were somewhat smaller than modern ones, and the structure itself was erected on the site of a previously existing Byzantine settlement. Subsequently, the Princely Castle was converted into an aristocratic residence of the feudal lords from the Belvedere Marittimo. At the same time it got its modern name - Castello del Principe (Princely).

For centuries the castle was owned by a wide variety of noble and influential families. In 1269 he passed from Charles I of Anjou to Giovanni di Moforto, then it was the property of Baron Simone di Bellovidere, and in 1287-89, the castle was restored by the feudal lord Rudgiero di Sangineto. The Sangineto family owned Castello del Principe until 1376, and then the half-century period of "power change" began again.

When the Kingdom of Naples was captured by the Aragonese in 1426, many of the fiefdoms were confiscated. Among them was the Prince's Castle. By order of Ferdinando of Aragon, Castello del Principe, along with the castles of Castrovillari and Corigliano, was fortified (at the same time a castle in Pizzo was built). In 1490, a drawbridge was added to the castle, and a wall with two cylindrical towers with loopholes was erected around it. And today, above the main entrance to the castle, you can see the Aragonese coat of arms with two cupids. In 1494, the Sanseverino family became the owners of Castello del Principe, which owned it until 1595, and then the Carafa family became the owner of the castle.

The Belvedere Marittimo Princely Castle is a square structure with two towers facing south. These towers, as well as the wall surrounding the castle, are typical defensive elements of the Aragonese era. From the southern and western sides, the remains of a defensive ditch and small holes in which the chains of the drawbridge were attached are visible. Today Castello del Principe is a national monument, and its plaster model can be seen in the Italy in Miniature Park in Rimini.

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Topic: Castello del Principe description and photos - Italy: Belvedere Marittimo.