We are at the end of the 14th century and the Celano castle poses among the first examples in which an architecture born for defensive reasons acquired the nobility of a court building, of a noble palace, giving us a building of extraordinary beauty.
The castle, constructed in an external wall, polygonal-shaped, with little quadrangular towers at the edges or larger cylindrical towers which are accessed via a drawbridge.
Having passes the first layer of castle wall, you reach an internal fortification, rectangular-shaped, with four square towers at the angles and with a large portico courtyard at the center on two levels.
The elegant portico and other embellishments of the military works are thanks to Antonio Piccolomini who took control of the complex in 1463.
The terrible earthquake that devastated a large part of Abruzzo in 1915 caused serious damage to the building, which was restored between the 1940's and 1960's. Since 1992 it has been home to the National Museum of Marsica.
Other than the beauty of the complex, the visitor will surely appreciate the extremely scenic position over the entire basin of the ancient Fucino Lake, while at its shoulders rise the spurs of the Sirente Mountains.
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The castle, within the first wall |
The entrance of the Museum della Marsica |
Panorama of Celano |
A tower |
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Cloister inside the castle. |
Internal courtyard that is part of the National Museum della... |
The mountains behind the castle. |
Merlons |
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The external wall |
A medieval church in Celano |
Gothic frescoes inside the church in Celano |
Gothic frescoes inside the church in Celano |
Celano Castle
Photographer:
Matteo Bordini Written by: Matteo Bordini The photographers and writers hold the copyright to their works and allow for their non-exclusive use by Rural Journey and Vagabondo for their publication in "Italy Travelguide". |