Paesaggi culturali di Terra di Lavoro: l’insediamento fortificato di Castel Volturno

The goal of this study is to analyze the castrum of San Castrese in Castel Volturno (northern Campania). This fortificated complex was erected near site of ancient Volturnum and was created by reconfiguration of surviving structures of a Roman bridge. Its planimetric scheme is very interesting, due to the relations with the elements of the cultural landscape: river, coastline, plain. By 9th century the bridge was reused as a substructure of a castle, erected using large blocks of yellow tuff, lava blocks taken from via Domitiana and bricks. In the Modern Age several buttresses have been erected to counteract the rotations of the walls. The structures at the northern and southern extremes dates back to 18th century. Further renovations dates back to second half of the 19th century. The castrum preserves significant features of the defensive perimeter, with singular triangular-shaped towers and several houses from the Romanesque period, rare in Southern Italy.