Castello Normanno-Svevo
In a dominant position, the Norman-Swabian Castle is witness to the history of Vibo Valentia from year one thousand to the nineteenth century. The original structure dates back to Frederick II, who refounded the town of Monteleone (ancient name of Vibo Valentia), providing it with a defensive structure with fortified towers (1240-55). This period was definitely the tower to "wedge", which has a masonry square blocks and the northeast entrance. With Charles of Anjou, the Castle was further strengthened and expanded: are made new walls, a new entrance and more rooms, in addition to the Church of St. Michele, located in the tower at a "wedge". More changes, but not substantial, were made by the Aragonese in the fifteenth century. Monteleone was a fief of the Caracciolo and Brancaccio families, then state property until 1508, when it was sold to Ettore Pignatelli, that made the Castle his home, building a double pass fitted of caditoia and the current portal with the heraldic emblem of the family. In 1858 the Bourbons had executed some restoration and consolidation of the structure, using it first as a prison and later as a barracks. Since 1995, the Castle houses the Archaeological Museum of Vibo Valentia "Vito Capialbi". The present appearance preserves an irregular plant that is built around a central courtyard; the main elevation, two-level, is bounded by two circular towers interspersed with a hexagonal tower, among which the main entrance. On the south side, near the tower "wedge", the remains of the apse of St. Michele.
* Atlante dei Beni Culturali della Calabria
