Celano

Celano rises on the northern side of the Fucino basin, beneath the mountains of Abruzzo. Its castle dominates the town and once looked across the waters of Lake Fucino. The counts of Celano made this a centre of their power, controlling land and routes around the lake. The basin offered fertile low ground, enclosed on all sides by high ridges and mountain passes.

Pietro Berardi began building the great castle around 1392. Work continued under later lords, including Lionello Accrocciamuro, who raised the principal storey and corner towers. In 1463 Antonio Todeschini Piccolomini received the county and completed the great fortress. Its imposing walls and residential rooms expressed both the military authority and the noble status of the families that governed Celano.