Torraca Castello

                      

The Medieval hill town of Torraca sits high in the hills overlooking the sea and the stunning Coast of Maratea, the resort town of Sapri & the mountains of the Cilento National Park. In September 2016, the town allowed LEGAL civil weddings at the castle  and symbolic weddings.   The castle has a small chapel for LEGAL civil and  non-Catholic ceremonies.

 

About The Castle

 

The term Torraca presumably derives from Torre de Jaco, a man who  lived in Torraca in past centuries.  They  know little of its origins, they  seem to date back to centuries. X A.D. and can be attributed to the Greek roots.
 
The  hypothesis is that they were the inhabitants of the coast, about 10 Km from the village, pushed by the ravages of the Saracens in 915 to take refuge in the hills, and landed in this village.
 
During the Vespers war between Angevin and Aragonese (1285-1302), the ancient town was one of the main strongholds Angevin hinterland.
 
The Cappelli writes that the saint Italo-greek monaco Fantino lived in Mercurium,  between 951-952, he  moved to Torraca, where he died.
 
In 1806 the town  suffered the assault of French troops, which they set on fire most of the town and looted the baronial castle, exporting pictures, statues and other valuables.
 
Carlo Pisacane in June of 1857, after landing in Sapri, came to Torraca dell 'Olmo in the historic square, held a famous speech, inciting the people to revolt, but no one was able to follow him in his plan because it appealed in that day the Feast of St. Peter, the patron saint, Torrachesi showed him the way to get there, without danger, to Fortino.
 
The baronial castle stands on top of the town  which develops  around the village, it occupies a surface area of ​​520 square meters, plus a garden of about 344 square meters. The garden is surrounded by crenellated walls with two towers.
 
This Castle, was owned by different dynasties: Gambacorta, Palamolla, and  today by the town hall.  The castle retains a severe and majestic character determined by high crenellated walls that rises without chromatic continuity, from the underlying rock. It was built in the sixteenth century on the remains of an early medieval castle. It belonged to the illustrious Palamolla family, whose coat of arms, dating from the end of '500 beginning' 600, is located at the entrance, flanked by two painted caryatids.
 
It was still in use in the second half of the nineteenth century, as indicated by enrollment above the door of the first salon that remembers the visit of King Ferdinand II, which took place October 15, 1852.
 
Inside the hall you can see the arms of 'illustrious Palamolla family, there are paintings of art depicting the Madonna, St. Michael the Archangel and the episode of Olindo and Sophronia of the "Gerusalemme Liberata" by Tasso.

 

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