Gruppo TORELLA

The Candriano Castle is a historical monument belonging to the birth of the town of Torella Dei Lombardi and constitutes the historical memory of the Torellesi. The village of Lombard origins is located at 600 meters above sea level on a rocky spur of the upper Fredane valley. The inhabited area was formed around the Castle built following the Divisio Ducatus of the minor Longobardia right on the border line between the principality of Salerno and that of Benevento, in the ninth century. The castle, therefore, belonged to the Saraceno family until 1529, when it passed to Alfonso della Rosa who in 1550-60 "sold" Torella and Girifalco to Domizio dei Caracciolo, who in 1639 were awarded as princes of Torella, a title they held until the unification of Italy when, in 1889, Umberto I granted the title of Marquis of Candriano to Giuseppe Caracciolo. On his death it was inherited by his nephew Camillo Ruspoli. The latter died in 1940 and in 1959 the widow donated the structure to the Municipality which now uses it as a municipal seat and museum.

Built with local stone at 666 meters above sea level, on an urbanized hill since the early Middle Ages, it suffered considerable damage due to the 1980 earthquake. In the following years archaeological research made it possible to recognize the phases of construction, transformation and use of the building, allowing to reconstruct aspects of daily life evidenced by household artifacts, objects relating to some productive activities. No trace of its original nucleus has remained, but it is clear that it had a quadrilateral plan, with four sides at right angles, without towers or defensive works and with a central courtyard. The castle underwent substantial changes between 1460 and 1490 when it was surrounded by walls and two sturdy smaller circular towers were added. Since then it has become a noble residence. In the final painting phase, a difference in colors can be seen in the courtyard of the castle, representing the shades of the past and the present.

Saraceno to whose family it belonged until the beginning of the 16th century. The Caracciolo family to which it belonged until about 1900. The Ruspoli family to which it belonged until 1959, when it was donated to the municipality of Torella dei Lombardi.

1500 ca

Via Camillo Ruspoli Municipality of Torella dei Lombardi

Property of the local public body

Almost completely destroyed by the earthquake of 23 November 1980, with a recovery and reconstruction intervention it is now the seat of the Municipality and houses a cinema museum and some cultural associations Seeing the castle from the outside, in addition to the mighty walls, one is struck by the Donjon, cylindrical in shape known as the "Torrione di Torella", dates back to the 12th-13th century and was built by the Saracen feudal lords. The first mention of this tower in a document dates back to 1151. Visiting the castle from the inside, going down into its "bowels", one is struck by the succession of the three defensive walls. In fact, it passes from the original walls, those built during the Lombard domination, to the following ones, which date back to the 13th and 15th centuries respectively. This subsequent layering gives a good idea of the historical development of the structure. Interesting are the various slits from which the fire arrows were shot, lighting the wicks in a special tank. Other elements are the escape route used in case of conquest of the castle, the rooms used as a granary, the hanging garden of the fifteenth century between the two cylindrical towers and a portal of the sixteenth century. Currently the castle has four functional levels: • the first and second level houses the Civic Museum, where numerous artifacts found during the restoration work are kept (plates, coins from the period 1301-1950, including the Tornese Danaro or Silver Lira imprinted with Filippo di Savoia and the date 1301-1307, ceramic, stone and terracotta objects); • on the third level there is the tourist section, the Sergio Leone Association and some rooms for various activities, as well as a terrace; • on the fourth level are the municipal offices and the Library. It also hosts hospitality businesses.

It is mentioned for the first time in a document dated 1151, where the then lord of the place Guaimario Saraceno is reported to whose family it belonged for several centuries until the beginning of the sixteenth century. In 1550 it passed to Domizio Caracciolo, who was the first member of the feudal family that owned the Castle for four centuries. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the Caracciolos transformed it into a sumptuous noble residence. The manor is now known as Castello "Ruspoli" from the name of the family to which it belonged until 1950.