Castle of the Counts Aquino

Belcastro Castle stands atop the historic centre, which has become famous as the “Fairytale Village”. Indeed, the castle lends a fairytale touch to the entire village of Belcastro, a medieval village in the province of Catanzaro. Also known as the Castle of the Counts Aquino, Belcastro Castle tells its oldest fairytale through the traces of the noble family from which St. Thomas descends.

Built in Norman style, Belcastro Castle stands out on the rocky spur overlooking the houses. From above, the statue of St. Thomas Aquinas watches over the village, reminding us that the saintly philosopher, one of the “Doctors of the Church”, was the seventh son of Landolfo, lord of Loreto and Belcastro. Although officially born in Roccasecca, in the Lazio county of Aquino, Saint Thomas is disputed by Calabrian historians (including Barrio and Marafioti), who claim that he was born here, in the chapel dedicated to him inside the castle. Whether the news is true or not matters little, as the Torre Mastra (11th-12th century) has continued to watch over the population, the devotees and the evocative panorama at its feet for centuries.