Village

Location

Information

Località: Via Corte, 3 - Monte San Giovanni Campano - Frosinone

Ducal Castle at Monte San Giovanni Campano

Castello Ducale

The Ducal Castle of Monte San Giovanni Campano represents a milestone in Italian historical and cultural heritage. A testament to a fascinating era, this building offers a glimpse into the heart of the Middle Ages with its imposing architecture, thick walls and fascinating history.

Risaligned in the late 10th century, the Castello Ducale è features two distinct towers, one pentagonal in shape and one quadrangular. This building, made of local stone, with walls more than 2m thick at the base, è a noteworthy example of medieval architecture. Originally, the palace included five floors, surpassing the height of the main tower. However, the upper three floors were demolished as a result of earthquake damage. 
The Ducal Castle, once owned by the Counts of Aquino, è remembered for hosting the imprisonment of the saint St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. Given its strategic location, è it was used to defend the southern borders of the Papal States for centuries.

The interiors

The interior of the Ducal Castle offers a guided tour through the centuries. The dungeons preserve the ancient prisons adorned with prisoners’ writings on the walls, while the upper floor è destined to become a library. The place of imprisonment of St. Thomas Aquinas è was transformed in the 16th century into a chapel, equipped with a floor of turquoise and white checkered majolica and surmounted by a 16th-century triptych of the Neapolitan school.

The Towers

Two towers, one square and one pentagonal, rise majestically. The 12th-century square tower, with an access door placed almost halfway up, stands at a height of about 20m surrounded by an escarpment rampart.  The pentagonal tower, dating back to the 13th century, has a large ogival-arched window and preserves two overlapping rooms inside, connected by an all-light staircase. 
A legend has it that an underground communication existed between the two towers, which served as an escape route in case of need.

No data were found
No data were found
No data were found
No data were found
No data were found