Description of the attraction
Rocca Maggiore is an ancient castle built on a hill high above the city of Assisi. The earliest mentions of the castle date back to 1174, when it was built as a fiefdom of the German emperors. The future Emperor Frederick II of Swabia spent several years of his childhood here. By the way, in 1197, at the age of three, he was baptized in Assisi in the same font as St. Francis of Assisi. After only a year, the inhabitants of the city, taking advantage of the absence of the owners of the castle, plundered it and practically destroyed it.
The structure lay in ruins until 1367, when Cardinal Albornoz ordered the restoration of the fortress using the western part of the outer walls and part of the inner fortifications. And in 1458, Jacopo Piccinino, then ruler of Assisi, erected a 12-sided tower and a long wall that connected the castle to the city. Two decades later, by order of Pope Sixtus IV, the keep of the castle was reconstructed, and between 1535 and 1538, at the initiative of Pope Paul III, another tower was built at the main gate, this time round.
Today, Rocca Maggiore with its massive loopholes dominates the city - after the Church of San Francesco, this is the first attraction that tourists see when they approach Assisi. The square in front of the castle offers a wonderful view of the city center and the entire Spoleto valley. It is especially picturesque here at dawn. The entire building was recently renovated and today many elegant and impressive rooms are available to visitors. Various cultural events are regularly held here.
By the way, there is another castle in Assisi, much smaller in size than Rocca Maggiore, but also older - it was built in the Roman era. True, only a small part of it has survived to this day, and even then lying in ruins.
