Pignatelli Castle in San Martino Valle Caudina was built by the Lombards probably in the first half of the 9th century.
The main Portal leads to an impressive Hall of Arms; on the right side we can admire a Chapel consecrated by Cardinal Orsini on october 18, 1706. Just a few metres from the Chapel, you enter into a short hallway that leads up a set of stairs to a The Solar, that was the private quarter used by the Pignatelli family. The upper floor has many rooms with several fireplaces. The south end of the hall leads to the upper floor of the building where we can find the Great Hall, that was a room used by everyone who lived in the Castle. The Great Hall has a marvellous coffer ceiling, a wooden flooring and is richly decorated with wall-paintings of the 17th-18th centuries depicting the most important historical scenes of the della Leonessa family. We can admire frescoes on the eastern wall depicting Carlo III di Durazzo and the Captain Carlo della Leonessa; the frescoes on the western wall depict King Carlo D'Angiò and Guglielmo della Marra; the frescoes on the northern wall depict the field marshal Giovanni della Leonessa and the frescoes on the southern wall depict the King Alfonso d'Aragona and Giacomo della Leonessa. The vaults are decorated with friezes, historical weapons and banners.
The Tower is not taller than ten m. The Keep consists of three levels: a ground floor, and two higher floors; the enormous and robust Donjon was crowned with battlements and loopholes. The building has also three quadrangular Turrets and a cylindrical Tower with loopholes and vertical walls. We can also admire the beautiful garden full of colourful flowerbeds and ornamental plants. At the beginning of the 19th century, the castle was completely abandoned. The impressive building has been recently restored and today its impressive and elegant rooms can be visited by tourists.
BOOK NOW! and we will recommend the best restaurants and hotels, the renowned wineries of Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, Taurasi and Aglianico to combine with the trip.
