The fortress of Civitella del Tronto is situated in the northernmost part of Abruzzo, close to the River Tronto, which used to mark the border between the kingdom of Naples and the Pontifical State; Civitella and its surrounding area present an itinerary of particular interest.
Built on a steep hillside, the Fortress of Civitella is an excellent vantage point to admire the Mountain of Campli and the Mountain of the Flowers. Its history is linked with the siege of 1860-61, which culminated in the capitulation of the Bourbonic garrison, and it was fortified, besieged and conquered several time.
The structure of the Fortress is essentially that planned by Spanish viceroys of Naples in the 16th and 17th centuries. The episode of bloodshed that it was witnessed began with the siege of the Troops of Ascoli Piceno (1255), and continued with the sack of the fortress by the French under Odetto di Fois (1528) and the siege of the Duke of Guisa.
In 1624, a thunderbolt was responsible for the explosion of the powder magazine, while in 1732, the Austrians took the place of the Spanish, only to be driven out by the French in 1806. On several occasion the fortress was taken by storm by bands of local brigands.
In this fortress you can visit the Parade ground, the bastion of S. Giacomo and the Governor’s Palace. The ancient Bourbonic barracks house a small but interesting Museum.
Built on a steep hillside, the Fortress of Civitella is an excellent vantage point to admire the Mountain of Campli and the Mountain of the Flowers. Its history is linked with the siege of 1860-61, which culminated in the capitulation of the Bourbonic garrison, and it was fortified, besieged and conquered several time.
The structure of the Fortress is essentially that planned by Spanish viceroys of Naples in the 16th and 17th centuries. The episode of bloodshed that it was witnessed began with the siege of the Troops of Ascoli Piceno (1255), and continued with the sack of the fortress by the French under Odetto di Fois (1528) and the siege of the Duke of Guisa.