ENGLISH * NAPLES, S.
ELMO CASTLE
WE
LEAVE FROM THE AIRPORT OF CAPODICHINO. THE WEATHER IS FINE AND VISIBILITY
CLEAR. WE HEAD WEST.
SET ON THE HIGHEST POINT
NAPLES, AS IF TO GUARD AND PROTECT THE CITY, WE SEE BEFORE US THE MASSIVE
FORTRESS OF S. ELMO. ONLY BY LOOKING DOWN FROM ABOVE IS IT POSSIBLE TO TAKE
IN WITH ONE GLANCE THE IMMENSE STAR-SHAPE OF ITS CONSTRUCTION; FROM GROUND
LEVEL IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE, BECAUSE THE RAMPARTS WHICH FORM THE POINTS
OF THE STAR ARE SO VAST THAT EACH BLOCKS
THE VIEW OF THE ONE BEHIND.
ORIGINALLY, THERE MUST
HAVE BEEN A LARGE WATCHTOWER ON THIS HILL, BUILT, IT WOULD SEEM, BY THE NORMANS.
DURING THE MIDDLE AGES, THE CASTLE OF BELFORTE WAS BUILT IN ITS PLACE, A SOLID
AND MASSIVE POSSESSION OF ROBERT OF ANJOU, WHO CONSTRUCTED A FORTRESS ROUND
IT. UNDER THE ANGEVINS, THE CASTLE WAS THE SCENE OF BLOODY CONSPIRACIES AND
IMPRISONMENTS, BUT UNDER THE ARAGONESE, IT BECAME A FAVOURITE PLACE FOR THE
EXCURSIONS AND FESTIVITIES OF THE COURT NOBILITY. THEN AN EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED
THE WALLS, AND S. ELMO FELL INTO DISUSE. IT WAS THE EMPEROR CHARLES V WHO
RECOGNISED THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SITE AND ORDERED HIS VICEROY DON
PEDRO DE TOLEDO TO FORTIFY IT WITH STRONG WALLS. THE CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED
IN 1537, AND IT REMAINS A MASTERPIECE OF MILITARY ENGINEERING. PARTLY BUILT
INTO THE SURROUNDING TUFAROCK, THE FORTRESS DID NOT POSSESS WATCHTOWERS BUT
STRONG EMBRASURES WITH CANNONS POINTED TOWARDS THE CITY, WHICH RENDERED IT
UNSEIZABLE. INDEED, THE FOLLOWERS OF MASANIELLO COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE FORTRESS
IF IT HAD NOT BEEN, FOR THE HELP GIVEN BY THE FRENCH. TO TAKE POSSESSION OF
S. ELMO MEANT TO TAKE POSSESSION OF NAPLES ITSELF. CHARLES OF BOURBON BEGAN
HIS MILITARY CAMPAIGN HERE. AND LATER, THE PARTHENOPEAN REPUBLIC RAISED ITS
FIRST FLAG ON THE CASTLE. WITH THE RESTORATION, ALL THOSE WHO HAD PLAYED A
PART IN HANDING IT OVER TO THE FRENCH WERE INCARCERATED THERE, AND IN THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY THE "CARBONARI" WERE AMONG ITS IMMATES.
WITH THE ARRIVAL OF GARIBALDI,
THE NEAPOLITANS WERE ON THE POINT OF DESTROYING THE CASTLE WHICH HAD COME
TO SYMBOLISE THE ABUSE OF POWER, BUT FORTUNATELY S. ELMO WAS SPARED.
THE FORTRESS IS SURROUNDED
BY A MOAT DUG OUT OF THE ROCK. BEYOND THE IMPOSING MAIN GATEWAY, A COVERED
RAMP AND THEREFORE NOT VISIBLE TO US LEADS UP TO THE FORTRESS. THERE WE CAN
MAKE OUT THE SMALL CHURCH OF S. ELMO, WHICH WAS REBUILT AFTER LIGHTNING HAD
SET FIRE TO THE CASTLE'S POWDER MAGAZINE IN 1587 AND DESTROYED IT. THE LARGE
COURTYARD WITH THE CASEMATES, THE LIVING QUARTERS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
SURROUNDING IT, HAS THE APPEARANCE, SEEN FROM ABOVE, OF A QUIT VILLAGE. ONE
SHOULD VISIT THE INTERIOR OF THIS CASTLE TO GAIN AN IDEA OF WHAT A MILITARY
FORTRESS WAS LIKE. ALL AROUND, ONE SEES MASSIVE ARCHES AND WEIGHTY VAULTS
AND DARK CELLS, MYSTERIOUS PASSAGEWAYS AND IMMENSE WINDOW GRATINGS... BUT
WE MUST CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY.