Description of the attraction
Castle Castello del Principe in the resort town of Belvedere Marittimo is considered one of the most beautiful and well-preserved castles in the Italian region of Calabria. It was built in the second half of the 11th century by order of the Norman ruler Roger. Probably, initially its dimensions were somewhat smaller than modern ones, and the building itself was erected on the site of a previously existing Byzantine settlement. Subsequently, the Princely Castle was converted into an aristocratic residence of the feudal lords of the Belvedere Marittimo. It was then that it got its modern name - Castello del Principe (Princely).
For centuries, the castle was owned by a wide variety of noble and influential families. In 1269, it passed from Charles I of Anjou to Giovanni di Moforto, then it was the property of Baron Simone di Bellovidere, and in 1287-89 the castle was restored by the feudal lord Rudjero di Sangineto. The Sangineto family owned Castello del Principe until 1376, and then the half-century period of "change of power" began again.
When the Kingdom of Naples was captured by the Aragonese in 1426, many of the fiefdoms were confiscated. Among them was the Prince's Castle. By order of Ferdinando of Aragon, Castello del Principe, along with the castles of Castrovillari and Corigliano, was fortified (at the same time a castle in Pizzo was built). In 1490, a drawbridge was added to the castle, and a wall with two cylindrical towers with loopholes was erected around it. And today, above the main entrance to the castle, you can see the Aragonese coat of arms with two cupids. In 1494, the Sanseverino family became the owners of Castello del Principe, which owned it until 1595, and then the Carafa family became the owner of the castle.
The princely castle Belvedere Marittimo is a square structure with two towers facing south. These towers, as well as the wall surrounding the castle, are typical defensive elements of the Aragonese era. From the southern and western sides, the remains of a defensive moat and small holes in which the chains of the drawbridge were fastened are visible. Today Castello del Principe is a national monument, and its plaster model can be seen in the Italy in Miniature Park in Rimini.
