Rocca Maggiore (The Major Fortress)
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Rocca Maggiore (The Major Fortress)
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The fortress dominates the city and it is the monument that visitors first see, after the Basilica of St. Francis, as they approach Assisi. From the square in front of it, you can get a glimpse of the city centre below, with one of the finest views of the entire Spoleto valley. A visit of the inside and exterior of this former military structure gives a better idea of the stateliness of this building. It has recently been restored and many elegant and impressive rooms can be visited. Until a definitive decision has been made on how to it use it, it often hosts exhibits and art shows. A fortress was probably first built on the site in ancient times, during the era of the Umbro tribes. Another fortress was subsequently built and the documentation on it dates back as far as 1174. Frederick II of Swabia stayed there as a child. The Rocca Maggiore was rebuilt by Cardinal Albornoz during the second half of the fourteenth century, including the construction of powerful buttresses, to give the Papal State a better military set-up. Further work was also done on the structure, such as fortification of the donjon at the end of the fourteenth century and, at a later date, restructuring of the twelve-sided tower. Once the fortress was no longer used for defensive purposes, it was abandoned. |
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