Beyond the Calabria of villages, sea, and parks, there is the Calabria of castles, fortifications, and city walls. The Castle of Santa Severina, in the province of Crotone, is among these.
The Castle occupies an area of over 10,000 square meters, on the highest part of the village of Santa Severina. The structure is one of the most fascinating, complex, and best-preserved in southern Italy. As demonstrated by recent restoration work, the various dominations that populated this area have left their mark on the surrounding walls.
Born in the 8th century as a Byzantine Kastron, with primarily ecclesiastical and military constructions, it was later taken by the Normans who left their mark in the double-sloped battlements. The Swabians followed, as evidenced by the square battlements imposed on the previous ones. Finally, in the 1500s, the Angevins-Aragonese added the last layer with the trilobed battlements.
The main body of the Castle is the keep, surrounded by four supporting bastions. Two other bastions rise laterally on the southern side.
Among the families who lived there, the Grutther were significant, as they transformed the fortress into a noble residence, enriching it with the precious decorations and frescoes of the artist Francesco Jordano, once the need for defense diminished.
Today, the Castle is a location for conferences, events, and temporary exhibitions that are periodically set up. Inside, there is also the Archaeological Museum, the Documentation and Study Center of Calabrian Castles and Fortifications, the Museum of Weapons and Armor, the Museum of Period Costumes, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Santa Severina (MACSS).
The wonders of Santa Severina do not stop at the Castle but extend to the Baptistery, the greatest testimony of the Byzantines in Calabria, and the Cathedral dedicated to Saint Anastasia, the patron saint of the village.
The Castle is visitable thanks to the Aristippo Cooperative.
Hours:
Winter: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM / 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Weekly closing day: Monday Summer: continuous hours 9:30 AM - 9:00 PM open every day
Other places to explore:
- Castle of Caccuri - Caccuri
- Florense Abbey - San Giovanni in Fiore
- Stones of Invallicata - Campana
