Vicalvi Castle

This castle, dating back to the 11th century, presents itself as a ruin, but still boasts its two polygonal walls, which make it possible to interpret the various construction phases, functions and structuring within a broader defensive system, which also includes the nearby manors of Alvito and Picinisco.

The Longobard castle of Vicalvi was originally a Longobard possession with princes of Capua, but in 1017 it came into the possession of Montecassino. The monks held it until the beginning of the 13th century, when it passed to the d’Aquino family, who strengthened the fortification by surrounding it with a double ring of walls. Subsequently, the castle was owned by various owners, including the Étendards and the d’Aquino counts, before passing to the Cantelmo family. However, the Cantelmo chose to live in the castle of Alvito, decreing the abandonment and slow ruin of the castle of Vicalvi.

The remains of the Longobard castle of Vicalvi testify to the early stages of pre-Roman fortification, particularly around the 5th or 4th century BC. The first documents attesting to the presence of the castle date back to 937. Apart from several subsequent extensions, the first real renovation took place in the 14th century during the possession of the Étendards, with structural elements reminiscent of the Gothic style, such as the single-pitch roof sloping inwards. A large red cross can also be admired on the high wall of the castle, dating back to World War II, when the castle was used as a field hospital.