Castello di Tufo

The Castle of Tufo is located in the historic centre of this Irpinian village, close to the municipal building.

Standing on a volcanic rock spur, 250 m above sea level at the topmost point of the town, the hill fort was probably built in the Norman era, when the first settlement was built around it. During the Middle Ages, the Castle of Tufo was the scene of many battles, which led to a succession of rulers (the Normans, the Angevins and the Aragonese). But it was also a magnificent structure, thanks to the Del Tufo family who changed the use of the castle from a defensive structure to a noble residence in the early 16th century. It then became home to the Piatti and Capobianco families until feudalism was abolished in 1806.

The Castle is built entirely from local stone, and has been partially restored. Little remains of the original quadrangular floor plan with circular towers - one of which was built after the rest of the structure - apart from the three towers, a Renaissance-period inner portal, and the boundary walls. Following the alterations in the 16th century, when the hill fort was converted into a residence complete with new wings and external walls, the building acquired the aspect of an aristocratic residence, which it still has to this day.

A historic symbol for the community of Tufo, in recent years the Castle has hosted a series of tourist and cultural events aimed at promoting this architectural landmark in the Sabato Valley.