Italian castles: Castle of Fossa

The Castle of Fossa, Castello di Fossa in Italian, is a Middle Ages castle in Fossa, L’Aquila, Abruzzo.

The Fossa castle is an example of the castellation phenomenon that existed in medieval times. On the eastern slope of the Circolo mountain, it is situated near the village’s highest point. The original building, which was constructed in the early 12th century, consisted of a keep on top and a walled trapezoidal enclosure that housed the first homes. The construction of the settlement thereafter began outside the castle’s perimeter gate. Similar constructions may be seen at San Pio delle Camere, Barisciano, or Bominaco, demonstrating how prevalent this enclosure castle architecture was in the region.

The castle’s four square towers are encircled by a circular tower that serves as the highest point and serves as the starting point for the walls that define the trapezoidal enclosure. While the body of the structure most likely dates to the late 13th or early 14th century, the tower most likely dates to the 12th or 13th century.

castle of fossa — Castle of Fossa (source)

The walls were between 8 and 10 meters tall, over a meter thick, and had a chemin de ronde leading to their tops. The lowest corners of the fence included two towers that served as homes as well. The fourth side is to the east, bordered to the southeast, and another tower is situated on the north wall. The northeast wall has the main entrance to the enclosure, which is a stone door with a pointed arch. The southwest tower is close to a secondary entrance.

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