Gioia Sannitica Castle
Description
The Castle of Gioia Sannitica is a Norman-era structure in the province of Caserta. Today, significant ruins remain on an isolated hill in the Caselle district.
The Catalogus Baronum, written during Norman rule, mentions a feudal lord in Gioia who likely built the castle. It was later renovated under the Hohenstaufens and Angevins, with reinforced outer walls, a new entrance with Gothic arches, and a masonry embankment.
The 1394 earthquake caused severe damage, particularly to the main tower. By the late 14th or early 15th century, the castle and its small village were abandoned due to the earthquake's destruction and recurring plague outbreaks that depopulated several settlements along the Volturno River.
In the following centuries, the site remained uninhabited, as evidenced by the absence of later architectural additions and ceramic fragments dating only to the 14th century.
Architecture
The archaeological site, accessed through an ancient gateway, is divided into the castle on the left, dominated by a cylindrical main tower, and the village on the right, which developed at the base of the fortress.
A narrow path leads to the castle ruins, flanked by the fortress walls on one side and a steep ravine on the other. The different masonry layers reveal various construction phases. Near the tower, a large space with a fireplace likely served as the castle’s great hall.
The site is open to visitors every weekend.