The Roccascalegna Castle

Roccascalegna is a town of just over 1000 inhabitants in the province of Chieti, in Abruzzo. The name probably refers to the structure of the town, in fact 'scalegna' derives from 'scarengia', which means 'cliff', 'ravine'. Its main attraction is obviously the castle, called 'Castello di Roccascalegna', but called 'La Rocca' by the villagers. This building was built by the Lombards to protect themselves from the invasions of the Byzantines, its ancient beauty was brought to light only in 1996 with the last restoration, since unfortunately several periods saw the destruction of this castle and its restorations were many. Several legends are told about it, including that of a ghost who would have haunted the castle: inside it there is a special area, where works, stories and objects are collected that tell the origins of this structure. The presence of a Byzantine flamethrower and some torture instruments remind us of the medieval origins of this castle, which was a source of inspiration for some great artists who mentioned it in their written and cinematographic works.