Castello Ducale (Crecchio)
| Castello Ducale | ||
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 Castello Ducale in Crecchio |
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| Alternative name (s): | Castello Ducale De Riseis-D'Aragona | |
| Creation time : | 13th Century | |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg | |
| Conservation status: | restored | |
| Construction: | Quarry stone | |
| Place: | Crecchio | |
| Geographical location | 42 ° 17 '47.9 " N , 14 ° 19' 35.7" E | |
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The Castello Ducale , also Castello Ducale De Riseis-D'Aragona , is a low castle in the Italian municipality of Crecchio in the province of Chieti . Today the "Byzantine and Early Medieval Museum of Abruzzo" ( Italian Museo dell'Abruzzo bizantino e altomedievale ) is housed there.
history
The documents about the castle are incomplete, both in terms of its origin and its classification. The only ancient description of the castle found in the archives is that of Scipione Paternò from 1633:
“(...) the aforementioned town of Lanciano Patron owns a castle at the head of the Porta de Capo, part of which is more important; It consists of a flat courtyard with a stable and another communicating room at the front of the entrance, and to the left there is a basement with a storehouse for food with smoke cisterns and other amenities; and, if one climbs up a masonry tier, there is a covered loggia, with a view of the same courtyard, from which one enters a large bedroom with two adjoining rooms, and from these one enters via a separate entrance from the above-mentioned loggia enters a small hall with bedroom, small chamber and kitchen, generally flat and with a covered balcony and brick floor, facing the courtyard level and exactly at one of its corners is a square tower; Consists of three apartments one above the other, each with a large and a small room, explaining that on the lower floor there is a staircase leading up from the floor to the stone top; From this castle one can see and enjoy the whole marine and its general facilities. And connected to this is a garden on its flank called the walled moat, which is there for use by the hortilitium or, to put it simply, the castle, and with another, small annex connects the main entrance with the street. "
Nevertheless, one can confirm that the castle developed from an already existing tower called "Torre dell'Ulivo" in the style of the 13th century and that changes have taken place as a result of the renovations over the centuries from the 15th century. The castle changed from a defensive structure to a residence. The additions are divided into two stages, the first of which comprised the construction of the southern loggia and the western structure, while the second consisted of the upper loggia and the main floor of the adjacent building. The construction of the upper floor on top of the structure made the previously existing battlements disappear. The fourth tower was destroyed in an earthquake in 1881 and rebuilt in 1904.
On September 9, 1943, the royal family from the House of Savoy was staying there on their flight from Rome to Brindisi , whereas the following June the castle was badly damaged by bombs. It has recently been restored.
description
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The castle is located on a hill between the two rivers Arielli and Rifago . It consists of four corner towers that are connected to a number of other buildings. The original tower in the northeast is the largest of the four; it is built from rough stone blocks and has three floors; the ground floor is raised.
The castle is surrounded by an enclosure wall, which also includes a garden. The castle can be reached via a bridge.
Exterior
The castle has a square floor plan and looks like an aristocratic residence. It consists of four buildings that are framed by the corner towers.
- Torre dell'Ulivo: Large Norman tower of the original 11th century complex, consisting of three floors with a ground floor used as a grocery store. A narrow spiral staircase, which was used for the guard patrols, provides access.
- Torre aragonese: It was rebuilt in 1943, next to the Norman tower and dates back to the 15th century. It has a square floor plan and has above battlements consoles .
- Torri De Riseis: The two twin towers date from the 18th century and also have a square floor plan, but pointed roofs. Double arched windows adorn each side of the towers. The foundation on each side has deep blind arches, signs of bastions of the medieval fortress. Only the entrance side is designed differently because it has an entrance arch that lies in front of a cloister with a monumental staircase. There is the coat of arms of the De Riseis family from 1789 on a pilaster .
inside rooms
The interiors were damaged in the bombings of 1943 and were therefore completely restored to the original in the 1960s, but without the original inventory. In the 1980s, the public building housed the city administration, which was later moved to another location, leaving space for the emerging Museo dell'Abruzzo Altomedievale e Bizantino , which is now located there. In the room in front of the entrance to the Norman tower, a canopy bed similar to the original of the Counts of Bovino has been preserved , along with a chest; neither come from the castle, but were placed there to reconstruct the room in which Vittorio Emanuele III. slept. A collection of photos shows various visits by Prince Umberto II in the 1930s and the evicted Royal Family in 1943. The rest of the interiors are fairly bare and contain only showcases with archaeological finds. Only in one of the Torri De Riseis are there a barrel vault and late baroque stucco work near the large wing on the ground floor .
Individual references and comments
- ↑ Volta.
- ↑ Torre dell'Ulivo.
- ↑ Pioli.
- ↑ spiral staircase.
- ↑ a b c Guida ai Castelli d'Abruzzo . Carsa, Pescara 2000. ISBN 88-85854-87-7 . Pp. 124-128: Crecchio (CH) .
swell
- Corrado Marciani: Crecchio e il suo castello nel XVII secolo . 1973. Volume 1. pp. 39-44: La Rivista Abruzzese .
- Crecchio ed il castello . Archeoclub d'Italia, Crecchio 1990.
- Il Castello Ducale De Riseis D'Aragona . CSC Regione Abruzzo - Comune di Crecchio, Crecchio 1990.
- Crecchio città d'arte e storia . Crecchio local authority, 1997.
- Speciale crecchio . Abruzzo Beni Culturali, Crecchio 1998. Volume 4.
- Crecchio tra storia, tradizioni e legend . Archeoclub d'Italia - Sede di Crecchio and Comitato Feste S. Elisabetta, Crecchio 2001.
Web links
- Official website of the municipality of Crecchio . Retrieved April 8, 2020.