Castello di Montemonaco

The castle was built as a fortification system to defend the settlement inhabited. Montemonaco has historically been a crossroads of ancient routes between Marche and Umbria and domination was disputed between the two countries for a long time while remaining almost always independent. He was born between the ninth and tenth century as a garrison and Benedictine in later centuries the need to protect the town. The protection system built since the thirteenth century was articulated with sandstone walls and a fortress. Some portions of the walls of defense have become part of buildings while the fortress, built in the upper part, is still present with the remains of walls and towers quadrangular corner. Part of the finishes are missing, while you can still see the loopholes used in ancient times to the defense. The original city was built, it seems, in the tenth century., Sandstone, and, subsequently, with towers at the erection of the castle, which in 1190 was under the rule of the Nobles of M. Passillo, and that is mentioned as Castrum Mons monks in 1283. In the fourteenth century. the walls were further expanded. Statutes of 1545 it can be deduced that they had three gates: the Porta San Biagio (still well preserved) located near the church of St. Benedict, the Porta San Lorenzo (completely demolished) located near the “Palazzaccio” already Counts Garulli and port San George at the town entrance to Amandola (now demolished). When they lost their defensive function, in part were dismantled to build civil rooms, are currently visible remnants of the walls, interspersed with sturdy towers, also in sandstone, partially degraded by centuries.