Historical news
The Vicalvi Castle is situated at the top of an hill at the crossing of the Fibreno and Comino valleys,
at about 600 mt asl.
It has longobard origins and was erected starting from the IX century, on the megalitic remains of Alba
of Equicoli, a sannitic town more ancient than Rome.
In 1191 it was visited by emperor Costanza and in 1208 by the Pope Innocenzo III.
It was run for many centuries by the Montecassino Abbey, then it was passed over to the Cantelmo family,
dukes of Sora and Alvito.
It is know to have resisted the assault of a powerful French army in 1528.
At the end of World War II, the village was occupied by the Germans, that installed here one of their
military hospitals, very close to the front line (Gustav line). They painted a big red cross on one side of the
castle and this probably spared the village the heavy bombardments by the B52 that destroyed the near town of
Cassino and the Montecassino Abbey.
Recently partially restaured, you can visit it, although there are not scheduled openings, you'd better ask
the village council.
Look the log of the July 17, 2005 expedition.
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Photo gallery
The massive sud-west wall of the castle
The south-east wall of Vicalvi castle
The north east wall, with the big red cross painted by the German soldiers, to signal the presence
of a military hospital.
Another view of the castle
A castle tower, from inside the walls, and a narrow street of the village
An upward view of the village, with the castle at the top
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