Castel Capuano And Its Infamous Occupants

Once you've found the perfect holiday rental in Naples and are exploring the city, you might spend some time visiting any one of her many historic and beautiful castles. During these visits you're likely to learn all about the history, architecture and art of the buildings. However, there are a few that have particularly juicy histories and stories to tell which seem less like a lesson from school and more like the plots of soap operas. One of the lesser known, but rather important, castles among their number is Castel Capuano.

Castel Capuano was built in the 12th century and is named after the ancient Porta Capuana, next to which the castle was constructed. Over the centuries, the castle has seen many different events; both happy days and heinous crimes. It hosted the sumptuous and extravagant wedding of Carlo of Durazzo and was also the murder site of Sergianni Caracciolo, a Neapolitan nobleman and prime minister whose assassination was ordered by Queen Joan II of Naples, his former lover. However, the castle wasn't built to be the setting of dramatic events, but rather as an imposing fortress to act as a stronghold at the port. The building, as seen today, is the result of centuries of alteration which changed the structure dramatically and took away much of its utilitarian purposes in favour of aesthetic results. What you see today is the result of alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Queen Joan was an occupant of the castle in the 14th and 15th centuries and is infamous for her exploits today. She is known to have had many lovers and is nicknamed “The Queen Bee”, Vampire and Crocodile. Most famous is her habit of dumping lovers through a trap door at her other residence, Castel Nuovo, so that crocodiles brought from Africa could eat them. By the 16th century, castle Capuano had become the seat of the city's courts and is the site of the opening ceremony of the Judicial year to this day. No doubt, this more official role didn't stop extraordinary and unsavoury things from happening within the walls thereafter.

If you like a little gossip with your history then the rich, tumultuous and fascinating tales of Naples are sure to satisfy your curiosity – plus, you can always say that it's merely “educational”. Besides, it's not like you'll ever be stuck for something to see or do in Campania.