See Castello di Caiazzo, Caiazzo, Italy

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The castle was built on the remains of a Roman Arx during the Lombard era. Among the owners attested in this period we remember Teodorico, count of Caiazzo, in the 9th century, Landolfo in 982 and Landone, count of Carinola and Caiazzo, in 1034. The castle is located on the highest point of a hill overlooking Caiazzo and the valley of the middle Volturno. It has a quadrangular shape and is characterized by four towers: three are round, in limestone, resting directly on the rock, and one, the one in the north-east corner, is square, also known as the tower of Lucrezia, as it was the favourite place of meetings between Alfonso of Aragon and Lucrezia d'Alagno. The tower has a lower floor, originally used as a cistern, then converted into a room and then equipped with an entrance, a second level with rooms with cross vaults for residential use, the entrance to which was initially given by an external staircase, later replaced by a terrace, and a third floor, also for residential use, with access via a staircase from the room below, and characterized by large windows which are also found on the lower floor; the tower ends with a cover suitable for the protection of firearms. Access to the castle is permitted through two entrances: one is located near the Lucrezia tower, while the second is at the end of a road along the ancient moat. This leads to the courtyard: on the lower floor are the service rooms, which remain faithful to their original appearance, with vaults supported by ogival arches in grey tuff. A flight of stairs leads both to the church of Santa Maria al Castello, dating back to 1116 and decorated in 1832, and to the entrance to the rooms on the first floor. These were heavily remodelled during the 19th century restoration to adapt them to residential use; between these rooms and the Lucrezia tower there is a rectangular building, on two levels, with a terrace that allows access to the tower.

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