An imposing fortress dominating the bay only steps from the shore, this castle was created by the French architect Pierre d'Angicourt in the 13th century for the new king, Carlo I d'Angió. The first king of the Angevin dynasty, he wanted a more suitable residence than the castles -- Castel dell'Ovo and Castel Capuano -- that had been used by previous sovereigns. Started in 1279 and finished in 1282, Castel Nuovo was enlarged in the 15th century by Alfonso I d'Aragona, first king of the Aragonese dynasty. The castle has five towers -- del Beverello (overlooking the harbor), di San Giorgio, di Mezzo, di Guardia, and dell'Oro (showing its tufa stone structure) -- and a facade (facing inland) graced by the grandiose Triumphal Arch of Alfonso I of Aragona. This is a splendid example of early Renaissance architecture by Francesco Laurana and Pietro de Martino, commemorating Alfonso I's ascent to power after his victory over the Angevins in 1443. Across from the entrance in the courtyard and up a 15th-century staircase, you can access the magnificent Sala dei Baroni, an architectural masterpiece. The monumental room is an enormous cube, 27m (89 ft.) wide and 28m (92 ft.) high, with a star-shaped vaulted ceiling originally decorated by Giotto in the 14th century. (His frescoes and most of the sculptures that decorated the room were unfortunately lost in a fire in 1919.) Today, the castle houses the Museo Civico (Civic Museum), holding a rich collection of artworks from the castle itself and other important monuments in Naples. Part of the museum's exhibit is inside the Cappella Palatina, the only surviving part of the Angevin castle. The Chapel's facade opens onto the courtyard and is graced with a beautiful 15th-century carved portal and a rose window. Built in 1307, the chapel was completely decorated by Giotto, but only a few fragments remain. Inside you'll see a fine selection of 14th- and 15th-century sculptures, including a Tabernacle by Domenico Gagini (a pupil of Donatello and Brunelleschi) depicting a Madonna with Child, and two Madonnas with Child by Francesco Laurana -- one from the portal of this chapel and the second from a nearby church. In the vestibule on the second floor, you'll find a bronze door with a cannonball hole: It is the original 15th-century door of the castle, which was taken as war booty by the French in 1496 and later returned. In the other rooms, you'll find a collection of 16th- and 17th-century paintings, including works by Luca Giordano and Francesco Solimena. On the third floor is an interesting collection of paintings dating from the 18th to the 20th centuries.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Amalfi Coast, 2nd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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