Arriving from the port or from Piazza Municipio, the Maschio Angioino is impossible to miss: five great dark towers and, set between two of them, a white marble arch. It is one of the symbols of Naples, and every time we pass by we stop to look at it. Here we tell you what there is to see inside and outside its walls.
A “new” castle built by the Angevins
Its official name is Castel Nuovo (New Castle), to distinguish it from the city’s older castles, such as Castel dell’Ovo. It was built between 1279 and 1282 at the behest of Charles I of Anjou, to a design by the French architect Pierre de Chaule.
Curiously, Charles I never lived there, because of the revolt of the Sicilian Vespers; it became a royal residence under his successor Charles II. In the 14th century, during the reign of Robert of Anjou, the castle was a centre of culture frequented by figures such as Petrarch and Boccaccio. It was here, in 1294, that Pope Celestine V renounced the papacy.
The Aragonese rebirth and the towers
The castle’s present appearance is mainly due to Alfonso V of Aragon, who had it rebuilt after conquering Naples. The architect Guillem Sagrera replaced the square Angevin towers with five massive cylindrical towers, faced with piperno, a grey volcanic stone typical of the area.
Seen up close, the sheer bulk of the castle shows how much it was designed for defence: the moat, the thick walls and the towers are a reminder that Naples was a capital to be protected both from the sea and from the land.
The Triumphal Arch
The feature that strikes us most is the Triumphal Arch, the monumental white marble entrance set between two towers. It was built from the mid-15th century onwards to celebrate Alfonso’s entry into the city, and several sculptors worked on it, including Francesco Laurana.
The contrast between the dark stone of the towers and the white of the arch is one of the most beautiful sights in the centre. We recommend stopping for a few minutes to look at the reliefs: they depict the king’s triumphal procession, and the arch is one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance in Naples.
The Hall of the Barons and the Palatine Chapel
Inside, the most famous room is the Hall of the Barons (Sala dei Baroni), a huge space covered by a spectacular vault. Its name recalls a dramatic episode: in 1487 King Ferrante of Aragon invited here the nobles who had taken part in the Conspiracy of the Barons, on the pretext of a celebration, and had them arrested. Today the hall hosts the meetings of the City Council.
The Palatine Chapel, dedicated to Saint Barbara, is the only surviving part of the 14th-century castle. Around 1330 it was decorated by Giotto, but only a few fragments of that fresco cycle remain today.
The Civic Museum
The castle houses the Civic Museum, with paintings, sculptures and art objects from different periods, spread between the chapel and the upper floors. The route is enjoyable and also lets you look out over the port and the gulf. The castle is also home to the library of the Società Napoletana di Storia Patria (Neapolitan Society of Local History). Check opening hours and tickets on the official website before you go.
Getting there and when to go
The Maschio Angioino stands in Piazza Municipio, opposite the port and the Molo Beverello pier, from which ferries leave for the islands. You can reach it on metro Line 1, Municipio stop, or on foot from Via Toledo and Piazza del Plebiscito. It is a good visit in any season; we often combine it with a stroll along the seafront, ideally at sunset.
Nearby
A short walk from the castle you will find the theatre described in The Teatro di San Carlo and the arcade covered in Galleria Umberto I and Via Toledo. Continuing along the sea, you reach the city’s other great castle, the star of The legend of Castel dell’Ovo, while from the top of the Vomero hill Castel Sant’Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino look down on you. To plan the rest of your trip, start with our guide Naples and Surroundings.
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