Rocca Albornoziana

The Rocca or castle or fortress of Spoleto dates to the middle of the 14th century. It was built by Cardinal Albornoz; hence the name. This is the same guy who built the Rocca at Assisi. The castles were built at the order of the Pope to project papal authority in the region. This was the period when the Popes resided in Avignon.
This Rocca sits atop the hill at Spoleto and towers over the town and its valley. While originally the Rocca was richly decorated as would be expected of the seat of local authority in the late middle ages and renaissance, most of that has been lost as the Rocca was converted to a jail in 1817 and used until 1982.
The 1st picture is the outer Courtyard of Arms and headquarters of the army. The 2nd picture is the inner Courtyard of Honor that was reserved for officials and official business. At the far end is an unique hexagonal well. The 3rd picture is an arched and decorated tunnel between the 2 courtyards.
Inside, the Rocca has been restored and remodeled to be a museum of the Duchy of Spoleto from it's founding in the late 6th century up to the 17th century. The next 4 pictures are all in that area. The 4th picture is a former dining room that now houses several sarcophagi. The 5th picture is of a part of the largest section of surviving frescoes. The last 2 pictures are in what is a series of rooms called the winter residence as they face south. These are just a couple examples of what is here.
An interesting tidbit:. If you saw the miniseries about the Borgias, you will remember the Pope's daughter, Lucretia. She was appointed rector of the Duchy of Spoleto for a time. It seems she was remembered for her cruelty while she was here.Read more