Castello Ruspoli-Candriano

The Castle of Ruspoli of Candriano stands in the historic centre of Torella dei Lombardi.

Standing at the highest point of this historic medieval settlement, this hill fort was built in the Lombard era, between the 9th and 11th centuries. After the castle was rebuilt during the Norman-Swabian domination of the 12th-13th centuries, it underwent further restructuring between the 12th and 15th centuries, notably after the earthquake of 1466. It was after the 15th-century earthquake that the two round towers with sloping bases were built, incorporating the pre-existing quadrangular ones. Each tower had a specific function: the first was built for defence and includes arrowslits, while the second had a more practical function.  
During the 17th century, the Caracciolo family converted the Castle into a noble residence. The building took on its current name after the marriage of Laura Caracciolo and Emanuele Ruspoli, which sealed the union between the princes of Candriano and the Ruspoli family. The Roman aristocrats held the Castle of Ruspoli-Candriano until 1959, when it was donated to the Municipality of Torella dei Lombardi by Terry Margherita Blanc, the widow of Camillo Ruspoli. 

The Castle was again rebuilt after the earthquake of 23 November 1980 and is noted today for its imposing cylindrical donjon.

Currently the seat of the municipal offices, the Castle houses the Civic Museum of Turella Parva Turris, which was opened to accommodate the artefacts unearthed during works carried out in the 1990s by the archaeologist Marcello Rotili and published in the book “Post-Classic Archaeology and Torella dei Lombardi - Research works in the Candriano Castle (1993-1997)”. The Castle of Ruspoli-Candriano is also home to the Candriano tourist office, a restaurant and accommodation for travellers and tourists, and the Museum of Cinema, whose exhibition is run by the Sergio Leone Association and is dedicated entirely to the films of Sergio Leone (1929-1989), the well-known director of Westerns. 

Today, the hill fort has been restored to its historic splendour and is a historical, cultural and tourist attraction for the local community.