Rocca Imperiale, The Biggest Castle in Calabria

Calabria has many, many castles and watchtowers. The great number gives a bit of perspective into the value of the land and its need for protection, particularly along the extensive coastline. The largest castle is in Rocca Imperiale, both the furthest east and most northern town in the region.

ROCCA IMPERIALE CASTLE ORIGINS

While there is evidence of peoples in the area from the dawn of time, Rocca Imperiale was founded with the construction of the castle, built by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Sources differ as to its initial date, either 1221 or 1225. However, the choice of location is clear, a strategic position to safeguard the ancient road between Reggio and Brindisi, the Gulf of Taranto and the Pollino massif. The castle has an excellent visual at a height of 250 meters (820 feet) and a distance of 4 kilometers (3 miles) from the sea.

Frederick used the castle both for defensive purposes and as a residence when he moved his court from one end of his Southern Italian domain to the other. He also enjoyed hunting in the area. The borgo or village unfolds from the fortress along the eastern slope facing the gulf, with the first houses grouped around the furnaces used by the workers to produce lime and bricks for construction. Today’s storybook image with its medieval layout of streets wrapping around the hillside crowned by the castle has undoubtedly contributed to Rocca Imperiale’s distinction as one of the Borghi più belli d’Italia (Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages).

ROCCA IMPERIALE, BETWEEN CALABRIA AND BASILICATA

Rocca Imperiale is on Calabria’s northeast border with Basilicata, sandwiched between the Ionian Sea and the Pollino Mountains. Upon Frederick II’s death, the castle passed to the Knights Hospitaller under the House of Anjou. With the successive Aragon rulers, significant modifications were made, and the castle was enlarged in 1487 with new crenellated towers and perimeter wall, reinforcements which would prove to be important in the years to come.

Over the following centuries, Rocca Imperiale suffered constantly from attacks by Barbary marauders, with the most memorable occurring on a summer’s night in 1664, when a Turkish armada of 60 sailing ships devastated the town. 4,000 Saracens assaulted the castle, burned the cathedral, of which only the Romanesque bell tower remains, and kidnapped 80 citizens, including women, children and a priest.

In 1717, the castle and feudal lands were passed to a ducal family by the name Crivelli, who significantly altered the structure, adding an upper level with elegant living quarters. In 1835, the castle passed to the Bishop of Tursi, who had the idea of founding a seminary, but abandoned the property instead. Then, in 1903, the Cappa family bought the castle and turned it into a residence, finally donating it to the municipality of Rocca Imperiale in 1989.

Interestingly, being a border town, boundaries are subject to change over the years, and prior to 1816, Rocca Imperiale was part of Basilicata, officially called Lucania at that time. Today, Rocca Imperiale is located in the Province of Cosenza, Calabria’s northern-most province.

VISITING THE CASTLE OF ROCCA IMPERIALE

The castle reopened last year after an extensive renovation that included a complete illumination system – atmospheric in the evening, whether visiting the fortress or viewing the panorama from a distance. The stone fortification is imposing and appears impenetrable, looking up from the base of the walls, surrounded by a dry moat.

As with most Calabrian castles, you need to use your imagination with regard to the interior. While the recent makeover included covering several rooms with a roof, the finishings and furnishing may be down the road, if ever. Doorways and a fireplace hint at the former elegance of the noble apartments.

Elements built into the stone structure, such as the horse stables, kitchen with ovens and stone washing troughs can be seen.

Previously inaccessible, the underground passageways are a highlight of the recent restoration. Donned with a hardhat, you can descend the stone staircase and explore the fascinating space.

Legend has it that there’s a lost passageway, an escape route that led far out in the distance for when the castle was under siege. However, no such tunnel has been found.

LEMON OF ROCCA IMPERIALE

Perhaps those fleeing the castle would have exited the tunnel in a lovely lemon grove. The town is, in fact, known for the Limone di Rocca Imperiale, which has been cultivated in the area for at least 500 years. They called this variety antico (old or ancient) or nostrano (local).

This particular lemon is very juicy, and its essential oil is very fragrant, both well-above standard lemon norms. The juice is also less bitter and not as acidic. The tree blossoms three times a year, producing fruit from May through October. And of course, the juice, zest and essential oil are excellent ingredients for everything from cakes and gelato to savory dishes and beverages. The Limone di Rocca Imperiale was awarded the EU’s PGI status (protected geographical indication) in 2011.

MEDIEVAL ROCCA IMPERIALE

The castle sets a formidable backdrop for the delicately scented lemon and has stood as Rocca Imperiale’s “imperial rock” or “fortress” for the better part of a millennium. The modest houses at its base reflect a more organic building style, that of ordinary people who left behind an equally compelling medieval footprint.

Visitors range from summer beachgoers looking for a distraction to history buffs on the route of the Castelli Federiciani (Frederick’s castles). It’s amazing how one emperor, who certainly didn’t live a long life by modern standards, born in 1194 and died in 1250, could have had such an impact on the culture, from architecture to law to language to birds, but I will leave that for another day.

Did Federico II know of the Limone di Rocca Imperiale? Documentation of the citrus doesn’t go back that far, but if it were available, he would have no doubt sampled it. He did, however, tread the castle ground and perhaps even explored the underground passageways!

Visit the Castle of Rocca Imperiale on my Castles and Wines of Calabria Tour!

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Join me on one of my small-group Calabria Tours (I have three itineraries) or on my Basilicata Tour of Calabria’s northern neighbor.

Read about the fascinating Calabrian region in my book Calabria: The Other Italy, described by Publisher’s Weekly as “an intoxicating blend of humor, joy, and reverence for this area in Italy’s deep south,” and explore Calabria’s northern neighbor in my book Basilicata: Authentic Italy, “recommended to readers who appreciate all things Italian” by the Library Journal.

Follow me on social media: Basilicata Facebook page, Calabria: The Other Italy’s Facebook page, Karen’s Instagram and Karen’s Twitter for beautiful pictures and information.
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CALABRIA: The Other Italy and BASILICATA: Authentic Italy make great gifts!