- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1442 · 15th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 40.7316°, 13.9649°
History
Tradition holds that the first fortress on this volcanic rock was built in 474 BC by Hiero I of Syracuse. In the Middle Ages the islanders of Ischia took refuge here from raids and from the volcanic eruption of 1301. In 1441 Alfonso V of Aragon rebuilt the castle and joined it to the island with a stone causeway. In the 16th century the poet Vittoria Colonna lived here, and at its peak the rock was home to nearly two thousand families, with a cathedral, convents and churches. British bombardment wrecked the buildings in 1809, and in the 19th century the Bourbons turned the castle into a prison for political opponents. In 1912 it passed into private hands.
What to see
A tunnel cut through the rock with a lift leads to the top, though the old path can be climbed on foot. On the islet you can explore the ruined Cathedral of the Assumption with its frescoed crypt, churches, the former Poor Clares' convent and the prison. Terraced gardens look out to Procida, the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius, and at the foot of the rock lies the picturesque quarter of Ischia Ponte.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q1048809
Popularity: articles about this site in 20 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).