Torella dei Lombardi, a country located at 666 meters above the sea level, has accumulated centuries of history, especially in Ruspoli di Candriano Castle, a twelfth century mighty bastion builded during Norman rule. The castle, and then Torella, also entered among the possessions of the famous Caracciolo family, who kept it until the Unification of Italy when, in 1889, Umberto I granted the title of Marquis Candriano to Joseph Caracciolo.
Titles and properties were inherited by his nephew Camillo Ruspoli. He died in 1940 and in 1959 his widow donated the property to Torella dei Lombardi that now used as the town hall and museum.
The archaelogical museum Antiquarium is actually been sitting inside the castle, allowing you to enjoy all the antiquities recovered during the restoration and archaelogical works. In the nearby of the Castle you can admire the monumental medieval fountain in chiselled stone, which connects to a wash house dating back to 1500.
The itinerary includes the visit at the “Mulino ad Acqua”, on the shores of the Ofanto, historic river which was theatre of the famous Battle of Cannae of the 216 A.C.
The main points of interest of this charming town are the many churches, starting from St. Antonio, built in the thirteenth century, with its eighteenth-century paintings and the fourteenth-century relief of the Annunciation; Santa Maria del Popolo with the art works recovered following the earthquake of 1980 and St. Anna’s church.
The Mother Church of Santa Maria del Popolo is a new building – though some elements, like the stone portal and some tombstones – because it was built on a different site than the original. The original building remain only the foundations of the old bell tower.
Next step of the itinerary takes you the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, through the Bosco Girifalco, place of occurrence of the pagan stelae of Roman origin, then Christianized, called Ara Pagana.
Not far away, you can admire the Norman Tower that fully represents the characteristics of military architecture of the twelfth century, thick walls and quadrangular base. The Tower has been in use, in its defensive function, until the first half of the fifteenth century, only to be damaged by two earthquakes over the years immediately following and be gradually abandoned.
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Chiesa S.Antonio Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Chiesa S.Anna Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Chiesa Madonna del Carmine Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Cappella di S. Vito Martire Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Chiesetta dei SS. Giovanni e Paolo Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Chiesa Madre Santa Maria del Popolo Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Il Mulino ad Acqua Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
La Fontana Monumentale Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Il Castello Ruspoli Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Torre Normanna Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Chiesa S. Maria del Perillo Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Museo Antiquarium Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
Monumento funebre di Sigismundo Saraceno e del figlio Giovanni Camillo Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia | |
La Croce Torella dei Lombardi, AV, Italia |