Castles

Fortified burgh of Scapoli    

Fortified burgh of  Scapoli

It belonged to the Abbey of Saint Vincent al Volturno and stood at the foot of the Mainarde range in a very favourable, commanding and protected position. The village was originally built to accommodate “bachelor” peasants organised to “level” the lands owned by the Benedictines  (Abbot Giovanni II in 982 wrote : “homines conduxit et abitare fecit in castrum Scappili”). A staircase leads to the entrance which is controlled by a circular tower with a steep escarpment. This vaulted passage leads in turn to a covered chemin-de-ronde which today is lit by large openings. The palace of the Battiloro marquis (flanked by the church) is partly hidden by the tower and the chemin-de-ronde, and stands in the most protected corner of the burgh, with a side overhanging the cliff. Few traces remain of the curtain walls that once encircled the village, which are now covered by thick plaster.

Fortified burgh of Scapoli