The Castle of Charles V

The castle acropolis Commonly called the Castle of Charles V by the imperial coat of arms that was located there, it was created as a rudimental fortress on the ancient Greek Acropolis, to defend the country from foreign invasion. The spurred bulk of the manor is a unique kind when we speak about medieval and Renaissance fortresses because it highlights the historical development of military architecture from the pouncing defence (towers) to the grazing defence (ramparts). It is also the only example of a castle perched not on the top of a hill, but around a hill that it embraces and contains.

The seventy-fifth manor With the conquest by the Normans, the fort became one of the 75 castles that at the time existed in the lands registry of Roger II’s vassals. It was accessed through the current Piazza Castello, thanks to a partly fixed stone bridge and partly wooden drawbridge. The main door was inserted into a truncated pyramidal terrace overlooking the courtyards between the two entry towers, the bridge and the moat.

The intervention of the Swabian Thanks to the strategic location of the city, with the arrival of Frederick II the castle was restored, along with the city port. The housing of the defensive structure was entrusted to Giordano Ruffo di Calabria’s nephew, who took care of his stables.

Collective goods Even the Angevins were careful to maintain it to the point that, between 1270 and 1271, ordered the various landowners to provide for the cost of repair of the castle towers. Something similar happened about 200 years later when Alfonso of Aragon let the city use the arrear taxes for the restoration of the castle walls. Historical stratifications In 500 the old building was subject to major repair works, which lasted about a century and they modified its look: two of the ancient towers were incorporated in cylindrical great towers and the pentagonal plant was cut into a square. Numerous military engineers followed at the works management, which also used the ruins of the ancient Greek city.

The decline With the improvement of war weapons, the castle lost its strategic-military importance and during the nineteenth century it was partially dismantled at the top also as a result of damage caused by frequent earthquakes. Today it houses a Civic Museum of archaeological interest. The Commander and the Adjutant Currently, the castle has a polygonal plant, and two towers: a more massive one called “Tower of the Adjutant”, and another called “Tower of the Commander.” The first was used as a residence of the officers, while the second was a great place of observation: armed with four cannons, it stood inside the castle, in the higher central part. Source: www.wikipedia.it

The History

In memory of the friend Kroton Legend has it that the name Crotone derives from “Kroton”, son of Aeacus, who was accidentally killed by his friend Heracles. The latter, to correct the mistake made and to honour his friend who had hosted him, buried him with a solemn ceremony on the banks of the river Esaro and then, near the tomb, he gave rise to the city to which he gave his name. The response of the oracle Leaving aside the many myths include in its foundation this and other Greek characters, historians agree on attributing its foundation to the Achaeans, who would have built it unwillingly abiding by the oracle of Delphi. The splendour of the ancient Greek colony Its heyday was surely the Greek period, when the colony maintained close ties with the homeland, the only one to help during the Persian invasion. The Greek city was much larger and had a the twelve-mile wall fence. The last among the Crotonesi is the first among the Greeks All ancient sources refer to the physical and athletic strength of its inhabitants, winner of many Olympic Games, probably due to the healthiness of the place. Here Pythagoras, before being cast away together with its initiates, founded a school of scientific philosophy and tried to experiment a technocratic government whose selective principle was based on intelligence and virtue. Squalor and poverty When the Romans came, Croton was already in decline: the town shrank and lost more and more importance. In the Byzantine period it became even bleaker and poorer due to the constant barbarian raids. Greatness and prosperity Only with the advent of Frederick II the city regained its former prosperity, becoming imperial property and confirming itself as one of the biggest cities in Calabria.

Accommodation & Restaurants

ACCOMMODATION Hotel Casarossa **** Crotone – Via per Capocolonna km. 3,200 0962 – 934200 Hotel Helios **** Crotone – Via per Capocolonna Ubic. mare m50 0962 – 901291 Hotel Capitol *** Crotone – P.za Umberto I 0962 – 24847 Hotel La Baita *** Crotone 0962 – 49303 Hotel Bologna Et De La Villa*** Crotone 0962 – 21049 Hotel Panoramic *** Crotone -Via per Capocolonna Loc. S. Leonardo 0962 – 25421 Hotel Solaria *** Crotone 0962 – 29921 Hotel Del Lago *** Crotone 0962 – 45075 Hotel Cerviani ** Crotone – Via per Capocolonna Km 2 0962 – 26296 Hotel Italia ** Crotone – P.za Vittoria 12 0962 – 23910 Hotel Tortorelli ** Crotone – V.le Gramsci 6 0962 – 27202 Hotel Europa * Crotone 0962 – 24069 Hotel Pace * Crotone – Via Cutro 56 0962 – 22584 FARM HOLIDAYS Agriturismo La Basiliana Crotone – Petilia Policastro – Via Adua, 2 0962-47381 Agriturismo Suffeudo di Pozzello Crotone – Cirò Marina – Contrada Pozzello 0962-31213 Agriturismo Il Querceto Crotone – Santa Severina 0962-51467 Agriturismo Fazzoleri Crotone – Via Fausto Coppi 339 4882720 Agriturismo Dattilo Marina di Strongoli 0962865613 RESTAURANTS Lucà Rossella 81, V. Tedeschi – Crotone (Kr) So.ge.al. Srl V. Capocolonna – Crotone (Kr) La Scarampola Sas V. Capocolonna – Crotone (Kr) Gruppo Marino Sas Ristorante L’antico Borgo V. S. Chiarella – Crotone (Kr) Al Mio Ristorante Dei F.lli Basile & C. Snc Via Nicoletta Mario – Crotone (Kr) Albergo Helios Hotel Via Capocolonna – Crotone (Kr) Bar La Capasa Via Bologna – Crotone (Kr) He Haisheng 4, Corso Colombo – Crotone (Kr) La Scarampola Di Simbari Silvia 88, Via Panella – Crotone (Kr) La Scarampola S.a.s. Contrada Capo Colonna – Crotone (Kr)