The remains of the medieval castle and the ruins of the high tower, dominate the village. The original structure consisted of an irregular pentagonal enclosure, with a square tower on the mountainside and an access road to the south.  Given its function as the curia, it might have had a palatium interior.  During the first half of the 13th century the palatium was extended towards the...

Castrovalva is located at the top of a rocky peak and according to the writer Macdonnel its houses look like an eagle’s nest. The village was settled by the owners of five villas. Father Paolo Finocchi wrote that the first villa was situated in the “Santa Maria” valley along with the “Santa Maria in Salicta” church; the second one was located in “Fonte Cinno” as well as the “Santa Lucia”...

The current gate is Renaissance, with a very simple, rounded, arched structure made of blocks of shaped stone.   Only the straight side on the left is still visible, while the one on the opposite side is enclosed in the walls of the building at its side. It was originally fitted with a double swing door,  which is no longer in situ. The door gives access to a covered walkway or...

Today the gate is in a Renaissance style, with a simple vaulted structure in regular blocks of stone on piers.  The original closing double doors are no longer here. The  entrance leads into a vaulted underpass.