Castel Menardo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Menardo Castle | |
|---|---|
Castel Menardo | |
| Serramonacesca | |
 Castle in Serramonacesca | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Location | |
  Menardo Castle | |
| Site history | |
| Built | 12th century |
Castel Menardo (Italian for Menardo Castle) is a medieval castle in Serramonacesca, Province of Pescara, Abruzzo, southern Italy.[1]
The location of Castel Menardo, between the Val Pescara and the Maiella mountains, suggests that the fortress had a defensive role against Saracen incursions aimed at the nearby Abbey of San Liberatore. In this context, the castle should be considered together with the tower of Polegra, situated diametrically opposite the church.
There are no reliable sources confirming the origin of the castle. However, tradition, as with the abbey, attributes its construction to Charlemagne, who supposedly built it to defend the southern edge of his empire. More likely, however, the construction of the castle dates back to between the 12th and 14th centuries.
