Castello delle Pietre
Capua (CE)
Hidden gemCastles
The story
The Norman keep of 1062 is made out of the Anfiteatro Campano: limestone blocks torn from the gladiators' tiers and reassembled into a fortress. Capua devoured itself in order to survive.
Access
Visible free from outside; interiors not open
The story
The Castle of the Stones — castrum lapidum — is, with the Frederician towers, one of the two medieval castles of Capua to have come down to us in largely legible forms. It owes its name to the reuse of great blocks of limestone, taken by tradition from the Roman amphitheatre of Capua: the white base is almost all ancient spoil material, and in the masonry one recognises carved fragments and an epigraph.
What to see
The castle, today at the centre of the old centre of Capua along the route of the ancient Via Appia, is a massive L-shaped structure. Its interest lies precisely in the dialogue between the Middle Ages and antiquity: the stones of the Roman amphitheatre reused in the medieval walls.
Tips
It is in the heart of Capua, along via Andreozzi: it is visited together with the old centre and the other Capuan monuments. Check hours and visiting arrangements on the official channels (the asset belongs to the Ministry of Culture).
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the Castle of the Stones?
For the reuse of great blocks of limestone, taken by tradition from the Roman amphitheatre of Capua, which form much of its structures.
What is the Castle of the Stones of Capua?
One of the two surviving medieval castles of Capua, largely legible in its original structures.
Where is the Castle of the Stones?
In the old centre of Capua, along via Andreozzi, in the province of Caserta.
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