Castello Aragonese, Reggio Calabria , Calabria, Italy

The Normans established here their court, and the castle was repeatedly restored and enlarged, to better meet the demands of the rulers in the following centuries; accordingly, the castle was called Norman, Angevin and finally Aragonese. As a matter of fact, in 1458 Ferdinand of Aragona introduced the most substantial changes to the castle, that reached its largest size.

Further fortifications were added between 1540 and 1553 by Don Pedro from Toledo, the viceroy of Naples, following orders of Charles V, who had been deeply impressed by the devastation of the Turks.

In the centuries, the inhabitants of Reggio Calabria often found a safe shelter inside its massive walls. The decadence of the building began in the early 19th century, with the restoration ordered by the Bourbons that started the first demolitions and the progressive filling of the ditch; the structure of the castle remained however more or less unchanged till the final transformation into military barracks in 1869.

More info on the city of Reggio Calabria.