A Renaissance castle with a museum of sacred art overlooking the Fucino
On the top of the hill on which the town of Celano stands, in the Marsica, the Castello Piccolomini is one of the most beautiful and best preserved castles in Abruzzo, a fortress that marks the transition from medieval castle to Renaissance residence. Its construction was begun in 1392 by Pietro Berardi, count of Celano, and completed in the second half of the fifteenth century by Antonio Piccolomini, nephew of Pope Pius II, who transformed it into an elegant noble residence, with an inner courtyard surrounded by a two-storey loggia, while the outside maintains the appearance of a powerful fortress, with square towers at the corners and a ring of walls with cylindrical towers.
Today, after restoration following the earthquake of 1915, the castle houses the Museo d'Arte Sacra della Marsica, which displays works of art from the churches of the area, including wooden sculptures, paintings, goldsmith's works and archaeological finds. From the castle, the view sweeps over the vast Fucino plain, which was once the third largest lake in Italy, drained in the nineteenth century by Prince Alessandro Torlonia, completing the work begun by the Emperor Claudius. Nearby, the Museo della Preistoria in Celano-Paludi displays finds from the lake shores. Celano is also the birthplace of Tommaso da Celano, the first biographer of Saint Francis of Assisi. Behind the town, the Gole di Celano are a spectacular canyon that can be crossed on foot in summer.
Tip: visit the castle and its museum, then explore the Gole di Celano with a guide in summer.
Where it is
More things to see in Abruzzo
Where to stay near Celano
Tours and activities nearby
Offers from GetYourGuide. Some links are affiliate links: if you book we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.