Castles

Castle of Pescolanciano

The castle of Pescolanciano is located in a strategic position for control of the Castel di Sangro-Lucera sheep-track. The small church belongs to the original nucleus. In 1656 the place of worship was moved inside the castle to house the relics of Saint Alexander, transferred here from the Roman catacombs. The name Pescolanciano originates from the old designation Pesclum Lanzanum (Pesclum means rock while Lanzanum originates from Lanz, the name of the owner of the lands). In the reign of William II the feud was held by Berardo de Calvellis, mentioned in the Catalogus Baronum. With Frederick II (Diruenda castrorum) the castle shared the fate of many other Molisian fortresses. Later it passed into the hands of the Carafa family, the Spinelli family and the Eboli family of Naples until (1576) it was sold to Rita Baldassarre, wife of Giovan Francesco d’Alessandro. The castle underwent several modifications, especially in 1600 when the entrance was moved to the esplanade that leads to the drawbridge, and then again after the 1805 earthquake.
The castle perches on top of a rocky spur and can be accessed through a drawbridge (1691). A great variety of masonry styles are noticeable, with bonds that bear witness to a large number of modifications and repairs. The floor plan is trapezoid. The bulk of the four-sided keep and numerous traces of functional installations (cisterns, chimneys, niches and storerooms, cellars) as well as defensive ones (chemin-de-ronde transformed into a panoramic terrace, arrow slits and murder holes, cannon ports) are still recognisable.