Cantelmo Castle is located on the Guardiola hill, in the municipality of Pettorano sul Gizio in the province of L'Aquila, dominating the valley on the Gizio river and the Peligna Valley.
Although there are no certain sources, the castle should have been built around the 11th century, as an evolution of the still existing central watchtower, which was part of a defense system consisting of the castles of Popoli, Pacentro, Raiano, Vittorito, Prezza and Anversa. .
During the Norman domination at the end of the 12th century the castle was a fiefdom of Oddo, son of Oddone di Pettorano, a fief that extended from the Gizio valley to the Cinquemiglia plateau, to the Val di Sangro up to Ateleta.
After the battle of Benevento, in 1310 the fiefdom was assigned by Charles I of Anjou to the Cantelmo, who held it until 1750, after which the castle passed to the Tocco di Montemiletto family who held it until 1806.
In 1992 the structure, owned by the Municipality of Pettorano sul Gizio, was subjected by the Superintendence for Architectural Heritage of L'Aquila to renovation and consolidation works that transformed it into a modern exhibition structure.
The castle has an irregular plan, with cylindrical towers at the north-west and south-west corners and the north-east corner incorporated into private houses. To the south-east remain the remains of a quadrangular tower. The walls are characterized by a shoe that runs along the entire perimeter and has no openings other than small slits.
The pentagonal strut tower in the center of the castle represents its oldest element. The entrance is raised and is accessed via a spiral staircase.
The internal rooms of the castle have been renovated to house a conference room and numerous exhibition spaces.
Cantelmo Castle
Address: Sentiero Castello Cantelmo, 65026
Phone: +39 085 98701
Site:
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