Castel Sant'Elmo (Sant'Elmo Castle), Naples (must see)

The Castel Sant’Elmo is a unique star shaped structure that was built to protect Naples from attacks from the sea. It has served many purposes through history and is one of the important landmarks of the city.

The first historical record of a fort on the site of Castel Sant’Elmo is that of a small structure built by the Normans in 1170. Later, relatives of Charles of Anjou built a large residence called Belforte on the site of the old fort in 1275. The Aragonese viceroy, Don Pedro de Toledo commissioned renowned military architect, Pedro Luis Escriva to enlarge the structure and the fort owes its unique shape to his design. It was enlarged between the years 1537 and 1547. From 1604 until 1956, it was used as a prison.

The Castel Sant’Elmo is a popular tourist attraction in Naples today. It hosts exhibitions, concerts and conferences from time to time. Two early churches within the fort are the Church of Sant’Elmo that dates back to the 16th century and the Chapel of Santa Maria del Pilar that dates back to the 17th century. A funicular takes visitors up the San Martino Hill to reach the Castel Sant’Elmo and the prison cells within the fort offer spectacular views over the city and bay of Naples.