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Castle of Melfi today

Italy · Restored

Castle of Melfi

Castello di Melfi

The Castle of Melfi is a multi-phase medieval fortress in Basilicata, southern Italy, with major Norman, Hohenstaufen and Angevin building phases. It preserves a largely medieval silhouette of interconnected towers and fortified courts and today houses the National Archaeological Museum of Melfi.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1281

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1281

What Castle of Melfi looked like in its prime.

A compact medieval keep complex composed of ten towers, seven rectangular and three pentagonal, linked by curtain walls and enclosing a paved central courtyard; a prominent church tower and a clocktower rise above the roofline. The southwest approaches include a bulwark (the Bulwark of the Lion) and an entrance that in earlier times was reached by a bridge and wooden drawbridge across a moat. Angevin-era additions open onto the courtyard: stables and yards, the Throne Room on the north side below the Hall of Armigeri, and the Hall of the Bowl.

Its story

The story of Castle of Melfi.

The visible castle of Melfi dates back to the Norman conquest of southern Italy. In the summer of 1059 Pope Nicholas II stayed at the fortress, concluded an agreement with Count Robert Guiscard and Prince Richard I of Capua, and at the First Council of Melfi named Guiscard Duke of Apulia and Calabria, Melfi being promoted to capital of his duchy. Five ecumenical councils were held here by five different popes between 1059 and 1137.

With the arrival of the Hohenstaufen in 1194, Emperor Frederick II gave the castle great importance and ordered several modifications. Under the Angevins, Charles II added the stables and yards between 1278 and 1281, and in 1284 the castle became the official residence of his wife, Mary of Hungary. Ten towers, seven rectangular, three pentagonal, still ring the complex.

Under the Aragonese government the castle became the property of the noble Acciaioli family, then the Marzano, the Caracciolo and finally the Doria, who held it until 1950 and transformed the interior into a baronial palace between the 16th and 18th centuries. A portal inscription honours Emperor Charles V and his admiral Andrea Doria; the castle, now owned by the Italian State, houses the National Archaeological Museum of Melfi.

Step inside

10 places to explore in 1281.

The record describes 10 distinct spots at Castle of Melfi, including 5 interiors: throne room (north side), hall of the armigeri, hall of the bowl and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Bridge and main southwest entranceCentral courtyardThrone Room (north side)Hall of the ArmigeriHall of the BowlStables and lairage yardsBulwark of the Lion (southwest bastion)Tower of the Jail (Marcangione)Church TowerClocktower and skyline

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Whose castle

Clans who held Castle of Melfi.

The families that held Castle of Melfi for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Doria

    Held by the Doria, who remade the interior as a baronial palace, until 1950.

Questions about Castle of Melfi

What is the history of Castle of Melfi?

Castle of Melfi began as a Norman fortress in the late 11th century, built in a strategic position between Campania and Apulia. It became a centre of Norman rule and papal councils, then was enlarged under Frederick II and the Angevins. In 1528 it resisted French forces during the siege of Melfi, while later Doria rule transformed it into a baronial palace.

What is inside Castle of Melfi?

Castle of Melfi contains a central courtyard, the Throne Room, the Hall of the Armigeri and the Hall of the Bowl. The complex also includes stables and lairage yards, while the Tower of the Jail, or Marcangione, is a documented interior feature. The Throne Room houses the museum, and the Hall of the Bowl was where the Constitutions of Melfi were proclaimed.

Who owns Castle of Melfi now?

Castle of Melfi is owned by the Italian State. It houses the National Archaeological Museum of Melfi, which opened in 1976. The castle is also designated Italian national heritage.

Why was Castle of Melfi built, and what was it used for?

Castle of Melfi was raised as a strategic fortress and refuge during the Norman conquest, guarding the route between Campania and Apulia. Its purpose later expanded under Frederick II, when it became a seat of administration, a tax repository and a prison. Under the Doria, the interior was remade as a baronial palace; it now houses the National Archaeological Museum of Melfi.

Where is Castle of Melfi?

Castle of Melfi is in Basilicata, in the town of Melfi. Basilicata is in southern Italy, and Melfi is the administrative area in which the castle is located.

When was Castle of Melfi built?

Castle of Melfi was built in phases beginning in the late 11th century. The visible fortress dates to the Norman conquest, while major Hohenstaufen and Angevin additions followed. The site record does not give a precise first-raised year, but the surviving Norman components place its beginnings in the 11th century.

Which family or clan held Castle of Melfi?

The Doria held Castle of Melfi until 1950. During their tenure, they remade the interior as a baronial palace. The castle was subsequently ceded to the Italian State in 1952.

What did Castle of Melfi look like in its prime?

In its medieval form, Castle of Melfi was a compact limestone keep complex of ten towers: seven rectangular and three pentagonal. Curtain walls link the towers around fortified courts and a paved central courtyard. The Church Tower and Clocktower rise above the roofline, while the Bulwark of the Lion and the former bridge and drawbridge mark the southwest approach.

Is Castle of Melfi still standing or is it a ruin?

Castle of Melfi is still standing and has been restored. It retains a largely medieval silhouette despite its many construction phases and later conversion into a baronial palace. The castle survived the earthquakes of 1851 and 1930 almost unscathed, although it suffered further damage in the 1980 earthquake and has undergone consolidation and restoration since 2002.

Can you visit Castle of Melfi?

Castle of Melfi can be visited as a museum and has areas open to the public. It houses the National Archaeological Museum of Melfi, which opened in 1976, and restoration work has enabled numerous areas to open to visitors. The building is not described as a private residence or an unmanaged ruin.

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