Castle in L'Aquila
L'AQUILA - In 1254 the inhabitants of the popular 99 castles were reunited by Conrad IV thanks to an executive diploma issued by Frederic II from Swabia: it stated the construction of the city, which was probably named after the village Acculi.
The Spanish Castle at the centre of the large Parco del Castello on the highest spot of the city of L'Aquila, against the majestic background of the Gran Sasso d'Italia rises the Spanish Fortress commonly called "Castello" by the Aquilans.
The fortress follows a square plan, with sides 130 m long and protruding bastions at the four corners; the walls are 10 m thick at the bottom, 5 m thick at the top.
The entrance is through a stone bridge, which leads into the locals and the peaceful inner courtyard. In 1534 prince Filibert of Orange ordered to build a massive fortress on the highest point of the city, to control the revolutionary inhabitants of L'Aquila ("ad reprimendam aquilanorum audaciam").