Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino)

Castel Nuovo, known as the Maschio Angioino, stands beside the port on Via Vittorio Emanuele III, next to Piazza Municipio in Naples, in Italy's Campania region. The fortress was begun in 1279 under Charles I of Anjou and became the seat of successive Angevin, Aragonese and Spanish rulers. Five round towers and thick walls dominate the approach, and the most celebrated feature is the Aragonese Triumphal Arch of 1443-1471, a Renaissance marble gateway built to celebrate Alfonso of Aragon's entry into the city. Inside, visitors cross the courtyard to the Palatine Chapel, which preserves fragments of sculpture and frescoes from the 14th and 15th centuries, and to the Sala dei Baroni, the vast Barons' Hall with its distinctive ribbed vault, where political events of the Aragonese court took place. Upper floors house the civic museum, a collection of paintings and sculpture from the 15th to the early 20th century. From the upper levels and terraces there are views over the port, Piazza Municipio and the Bay of Naples toward Vesuvius. A visit takes one and a half to two hours. Mornings are the quietest, before ferry passengers and tour groups arrive, and the castle is a short walk from the Molo Beverello ferry terminal, which makes it a convenient first or last stop for travellers heading to Capri or Procida. The best photograph of the exterior is taken from across Piazza Municipio, where the towers and the triumphal arch fit into a single frame. Opening days and hours differ between sources, so visitors should confirm times before going.