Castel Savello: A Medieval Savelli Stronghold in Italy

Site at a Glance

Rating: 5
Popularity: Very Low
Country: Italy
Primary era: Medieval
External website: Open

Eras represented: Medieval
Civilizations: Papal States
Site type: Military
Remains: Castle

On this page4 sections

History

Castel Savello is a medieval castle in Italy, at Albano Laziale, built during the thirteenth century under the pontificates of Honorius III and Honorius IV. It belonged to the Savelli, a prominent Roman noble family that held feudal territories in medieval Rome and the surrounding region. The castle served as the family’s stronghold and as the center of its lordship over the surrounding territory.

Construction and Savelli Rule

The Savelli had owned the estate since the 1160s. Castel Savello was constructed during the pontificates of Honorius III, who ruled from 1216 to 1227, and Honorius IV, whose pontificate lasted from 1285 to 1287. Its position on Monte Savello gave the family a fortified base above the surrounding land.

Destruction and Later History

In 1435, troops commanded by Cardinal Giovanni Vitelleschi, acting for Pope Eugene IV, destroyed the castle. Eugene IV was a fifteenth-century pope, while Vitelleschi combined his position as a Catholic cardinal with military command. Castel Savello was not rebuilt after the attack.

An effort was made during the eighteenth century to establish a new settlement among the castle ruins. In 1944, during the Second World War, German troops used Monte Savello as an observation post from which they directed the fire of German super-cannons against Allied forces that had landed at Anzio.

Beginning in 1963, Giorgio Schanzer worked to consolidate the many parcels forming the summit of Monte Savello and extending toward the valley. The work stabilized collapsing remains and cleared the area around the substantial ruins. Donkeys were used to transport materials during the intervention. The ruins and surrounding property remain privately owned.

Remains

Castel Savello occupies the isolated height of Monte Savello, at the foot of the built-up area of Albano Laziale. The hilltop overlooks the coastal plain and faces toward the Alban Hills. The castle survives as substantial, unrestored ruins on the summit, where the surviving masonry and the cleared ground preserve the character of a fortified hilltop estate.

The property associated with the site includes the summit area and portions of the land descending toward the valley. Stabilization and clearance beginning in 1963 helped secure the collapsing remains and define the area around them. The site is now part of a privately owned property described as a private hospitality property.