Anversa degli Abruzzi, Province of L’Aquila Abruzzo, central-southern Italy, is home to the Middle Ages–18th century fortress known as Castello normanno (Italian for Norman castle).
According to the toponym of the baronial chapel of St. Michael, which is still standing and is situated at the village-facing apex of the Norman fortification wall that surrounds the keep, the castle was built on top of a watchtower that was built by the Normans, perhaps on top of an earlier construction. On a pre-existing ruin of a 12th–13th century tower, Antonio di Sangro expanded and renovated the castle in the 15th century. The tower was severely damaged along with the castle by the Maiella earthquake of 1706. The walls and part of the Norman strut tower collapsed, and only part of the mansion that was used as the main residence of the lord of Anversa remained standing. D’Annunzio, visiting the castle with Antonio De Nino in 1896, set the tragedy “La fiaccola sotto il moggio” (1905) there.
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