ENGLISH * NAPLES,
MASCHIO ANGIOINO
WE
GLIDE SOUTH FROM SANTA CHIARA, AND HERE, RISING UP TO MEET US, THE IMMENSE
MASS, GREY AND AUSTERE, OF THE "MASCHIO ANGIOINO" (ANGEVIN FORTRESS).
ITS
FIVE MASSIVE ROUND TOWERS, WITH THEIR GUELF PATTERN OF CRENELLATION AND ITS
FLAWLESS DESIGN MAKE THE "CASTEL NUOVO" (THE NEW CASTLE), AS IT
WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED, ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE CASTLES IN EXISTENCE.
IT
WAS BUILT BY CHARLES I OF ANJOU IN 1282, AND WAS ALMOST IN A STATE OF COMPLETE
RUIN WHEN ALFONSO I OF ARAGON CLOSE TO ESTABLISH HIS COURT THERE AND GIRGED
THE CASTLE WITH A STRONG WALL. UNFORTUNATELY NOTHING HAS SURVIVED OF THE FRESCOES
PAINTED BY GIOTTO UNDER ROBERT OF ANJOU AND DESCRIBED BY PETRARCH, BUT WE
KNOW THAT THE ARAGONESE KING EMBELLISHED THE CASTLE WITH SUCH LAVISHNESS THAT
THE POPE, AENEAS SILVIO PICCOLOMINI, COMPARED IT TO THE KINGDOM OF DARIUS.
ALFONSO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SOLEMN TRIUMPHAL ARCH, BETWEEN THE MIDDLE
TOWER AND THE GUARDTOWER, THE WORK OF FRANCESCO LAURANA AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED
SCULPTORS (ANTONELLO DA MESSINA MIGHT ALSO HAVE HAD A HAND IN THE PROJECT).
INSIDE THE "MASCHIO", WITH OUR BIRD'S EYE VIEW WE CAN SEE THE FOURSIDED
COURTYARD BOUNDED ON THE SOUTH AND EAST SIDES BY AN ELEGANT RENAISSANCE PORTICO.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTH SIDE, THERE IS THE PALATINE CHAPEL, OR THE CHAPEL
OF ST. BARBARA AS IT IS OTHERWISE KNOWN, ADORNED WITH A SPLENDID ROSE WINDOW.
TO ITS RIGHT, STILL ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THERE IS A DEPRESSED ARCH, AN EXCELLENT
EXAMPLE OF THE FUSION OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE STYLE WITH CATALAN ARCHITECTURAL
FORMS.
AN
EXTERNAL FLIGHT OF STAIRS ADJOINING THE EAST WALL LEADS TO THE BARONS' HALL.
THE INTERIOR OF THE HALL IS MAGNIFICIENT. IT WAS DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECT
SAGRERA AND BOASTS A STAR-RIBBED VAULT; ITS DIMENSIONS AND THE RESTRAINED
ELEGANCE OF ITS PATTERN LEAVE THE VISITOR SPEECHLESS WITH ADMIRATION.
THE
"MASCHIO ANGIOINO" HAS OTHER FEATURES WHICH WILL MAKE A VISITOR
MARVEL, SUCH, AS THE DIZZYINGLY DEEP CELLARS, WHICH NATURALLY SERVED AS THE
PRISON, AND THE HALL OF CHARLES V, ABOVE THE CHAPEL OF THE SOULS, IN PURGATORY,
WHERE THOSE CONDEMNED TO DEATH PAUSED A WHILE TO PRAY ON THEIR WAY TO THE
SCAFFOLD. MANY WERE THE PRISONERS, ALMOST ALL OF HIGH RANK, WHO WERE DETAINED
IN ITS CELLARS. AND SO WE MOVE ON, SORRY THAT WE CANNOT MAKE A CLOSER VISIT
TO THE CASTLE.
