Murat Castle

Built in the second half of the 15th century by Ferdinand I of Aragon to defend the kingdom, Murat Castle in Pizzo is one of the best-preserved Aragonese fortresses in Calabria. The building stands in the historic centre of Pizzo, one of the most beautiful seaside resorts in the Costa degli Dei Regional Marine Park, in the province of Vibo Valentia, offering spectacular views, especially for those in search of sunsets.

The Murat Castle in Pizzo consists of a quadrangular structure with two cylindrical corner towers, the larger of which, known as Torre Maestra, dates back to the Angevin period (1380). Its halls were the scene of the event that made the town of Pizzo famous: the execution of the King of Naples, Joachim Murat, Napoleon Bonaparte's brother-in-law. Murat, in a last-ditch attempt to reconquer the Kingdom of Naples, landed on this coast on 8 October 1815. Captured and imprisoned in the Castle of Pizzo together with his men, he was sentenced to death, uttering the famous words: “Aim at my chest, not my face”.

In memory of this important event, the Castle of Pizzo houses the Murattiano Museum and a four-yearly historical re-enactment organised by the “Gioacchino Murat” Cultural Association, which stages the king's landing and subsequent capture and execution. The tomb of Gioacchino Murat is located in the Cathedral of San Giorgio, a Baroque church dating back to 1632, embellished with a marble portal by the sculptor Fontana and a Christ by Bernini.