Rocca Calascio - RAWscan

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Rocca Calascio stands tall as a mountaintop fortress in Abruzzo's Province of L'Aquila, Italy. Built solely for military purposes, this formidable structure was designed to house troops, never nobles, and proudly gazes out over the Plain of Navelli from its highest point within the ancient Barony of Carapelle. Santa Maria della Pietà and Rocca Calascio share a storied history. Construction on this imposing fortress began in the tenth century with a single watchtower serving as its foundation. Later, in the thirteenth century, a walled courtyard was added, complete with four robust cylindrical towers at each corner surrounding a towering inner structure. The lower half of Rocca Calascio boasts larger stones than its upper portion, a deliberate design choice intended to make its base impenetrable to invaders. Despite never being tested in battle, the fortress suffered significant damage in November 1461 when an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7 to 8 on the Richter Scale struck.