Carafa Castle
Castle
It is located on the highest part of the cliff of Santa Severina and it covers an area of 10.000 square meters. It is one of the most beautiful and best preserved fortresses in Calabria. After a campaign of archaeological excavations, followed by a careful restoration work (1991-1998), scholars have not yet a clear vision of its origin: it is assumed that the area of the Castle there was a fortified place to accommodate the civilian population, said "Byzantine Arce", probably built on existing Arab structures. A document from 1240 attests restoration work on the Castle, but none of the architectural elements seems to refer to the Swabian period.
As it appears today, the Castle seems closer to the Angevin period, at least as far as the facilities and perimeter defenses jutting battlements of circular towers in the corners. You have some news only from the sixteenth century onwards, when Andrea Carafa conquered the fortress, creating important works of modernization: interior spaces more comfortable, gateways to the city, three bastions and two defensive fronts. They followed the Ruffo, the Sculco and Greuther families that polished the fortress with vaulted pavilion painted and decorations. Date back to 1700 frescoes by Francesco Giordano.
