The timeless charm of an iconic monument of Ischia is made all the more fascinating by the view it makes you admire: the emotions triggered by the Aragonese Castle’s tale of its more than 100-year history will be unforgettable.
The ancient walls can be reached easily by a modern elevator located at the end of a tunnel carved into the tuff, which leads to the top of the most fascinating islet in southern Italy. Equally fascinating is the walking route to the destination, made by a steep ascent along which one can admire the magnificent remains of the cathedral that collapsed under the blows of Horatio Nelson’s British cannons, the Poor Clare Monastery, the splendid Church of the Immaculate Conception, the dismal Nun’s Cemetery, the Terrace of the Olive Trees, and the many churches that can still be visited on theInsula Minor, always a refuge for Ischitans besieged by pirates and invaders.
If you stretch your ear as you approach the inaccessible male of the ancient manor, you will seem to hear in verse the lyrical songs of Princess Vittoria Colonna, who was the Lady and faithful guardian of this castle during the wonderful Italian Renaissance.
As you approach the mighty walls and guardhouses of the old political prisons, you will seem to hear the laments of Poerio, Pironti, Nisco, and the patriots who were imprisoned there during the Risorgimento.
The sun path with the view sweeping from Vivara to Capri in the background reminds one that one is for a day or an hour in one of the most beautiful places in the world, refreshing sight, mind and heart.
