Perched on a rocky spur, its Towers dominate the breathtaking landscape, protagonist of a mysterious Legend and, on Easter Monday, theater of the Medieval Festival.
The Medieval Castle of Roccascalegna, with a vertical overhang over one hundred metres high, is a suggestive fortress located in the municipality of Roccascalegna, in the province of Chieti and represents an unmissable stop for lovers of history and medieval architecture, offering an immersive experience in a landscape context of great beauty.
The entrance to the Castle is via a staircase and it is possible to go from one Tower to another by going along other flights of stairs carved into the stone so it is possible to visit
– the Tower of the Heart, named after a heart-shaped sculptural bas-relief;
– the Prison Tower which led to the castle’s dungeon and which inspires terror just by looking at it;
– the Oven Tower where bread was cooked
– the Watchtower which dominates the area and offers a spectacular view to visitors.
The Castle has been restored and can be visited every day independently or with guided tours and hosts Exhibitions, ancient Tools of Torture, a Byzantine Flamethrower, the famous Balcony of the Jus Primae Noctis (see Legend below)
History
The origins of the castle probably date back to the 7th century AD, during the Lombard era, when a first watchtower was built.
Over the centuries, the structure underwent numerous modifications and expansions, especially between the 15th and 17th centuries, under the Swabian, Angevin and Aragonese dominations. After a period of abandonment in the 18th century, the castle was restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.
The Legend
THE MYSTERY OF THE BLOODY HAND
It seems that in 1646 the then local lord Corvo de Corvis reintroduced the “ius prima noctis“, with which he gained the right to lie with every new bride in the town.
Someone soon opposed this imposition and stabbed the baron to death.
It is said that it was the husband of a young bride, disguised as a woman, who killed the owner of the village; others, however, claim that it was a bride who killed Corvo.
The dying baron left the imprint of his bloody hand on a rock of the Tower, clearly visible even after the collapses of 1940, which, according to popular tradition would continually reappear, despite having been washed numerous times.
But that’s not all: the baron’s spirit would return on stormy nights making itself announced by the cries of crows from which the surname comes.
Even today, elderly people claim to have seen the “bloody hand” even after the collapse.
In 2016 the Giap, Paranormal Investigation Group, carried out an investigation inside the Castle, following reports from numerous tourists with highly professional equipment. Something strange has involved the paranormal investigation group in the castle of Roccascalegna which they themselves claim is, for now, inexplicable.
MEDIEVAL RE-ENACTMENT
Every year in the medieval village, between fighting and falconry, the Medieval re-enactment returns on Easter Monday in Roccascalegna. Art, tradition, nature and fun.
In the charming village at the foot of the castle, Medieval combats, music, demonstrations of hunting with falconry, theater and juggling shows will alternate which will catapult participants into the magical atmospheres of the Middle Ages.
Castle and Medieval Festival
Piazza Umberto I
Roccascalegna (Chieti)
Abruzzo – Italy
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