Best Castles to visit in Abruzzo, Italy
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Several historic castles of Abruzzo were strongholds or fortifications on mountaintops to guard the valleys, particularly those of the Sangro and Pescara rivers. Invasion by the Lombards and Normans (in the sixth and eleventh centuries, respectively) followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and the area was subsequently ruled by several regional counts and potentates. To maintain control over the area, the Lombards mainly constructed watchtowers and small fortified garrisons, which were typically very small.
King Alfonso I of Aragon repopulated numerous abandoned castles in the area in 1442 during his reign. The Abruzzi coastline was frequently looted by the Ottomans between 1510 and 1566. To counter this threat, Emperor Charles V built a defensive system of coastal towers in the Kingdom of Naples, designating Pescara as the bastion of the Giustizierato d’Abruzzo, Justitiaratus Aprutii apud Sulmonam, an administrative district of the Kingdom of Sicily established in 1233 by Frederick II.
This is a list of castles in Abruzzo, arranged by province.
Province of L’Aquila
Castello normanno, Anversa degli Abruzzi

Castello Orsini-Colonna, Avezzano

Castello Piccolomini, Balsorano






Castello Piccolomini, Capestrano


Castello del Re, Castel di Sangro










Castello Piccolomini, Ortucchio



Castel Camponeschi, Prata d’Ansidonia

Castello De Sanctis, Roccacasale

Castle of San Pio delle Camere

Castle of Sant’Eusanio Forconese

Rocca Orsini, Scurcola Marsicana


Province of Chieti



Castelfraiano, Castiglione Messer Marino

Castello Caldora, Civitaluparella

Castello Baglioni, Civitella Messer Raimondo



Castello Franceschelli, Montazzoli






Province of Pescara
Castello di Musellaro, Bolognano

Castello Mediceo, Bussi sul Tirino

Castello Chiola-Caracciolo, Loreto Aprutino

Castello De Sterlich-Aliprandi, Nocciano

Castello ducale, Pescosansonesco

Castello ducale Cantelmo, Popoli



Castello Farnese, San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore

Castel Menardo, Serramonacesca

Castello Caracciolo, Tocco da Casauria

Castello Gizzi, Torre de’ Passeri

Province of Teramo
Palazzo De Sterlich, Cermignano

Fortezza di Civitella del Tronto

Castel Manfrino, Valle Castellana

Featured image: wikimedia

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