Albornoz Fortress

The Albornoz Fortress, surrounded by a green nature, rises as a giant on the Maggiore mountain to dominate the Town of Narni , the via Flaminia and the landscape which you can enjoy on the Gole del Nera.

The fortress of Narnia.

Expression of the papal restoration made by the Cardinal Albornoz during the period of the “Avignon captivity”, the Albornoz Fortress is one of the places that you have to visit if you come to visit Umbria and it is reachable by walking, through the characteristic Via del Monte starting from Piazza Garibaldi.

A history that starts in the 16th century.

Was built on a project of Montemarte or of Matteo Gattapone by the commission of the Cardinale Albornoz from 1367: following an ancient tradition above a pre-existed structure built by Federico Barbarossa; for sure above what in the past was a monastery of Clares and before that a tower.

The first castellan was, from 1370 a certain Pietro il Norico , the works were ended instead in 1378 and on the door were placed the four arms of coats of Pope Urbano V, of his successor Gregorio XI and of the cardinals Anglico De Grimoard e Filippo d’Alençon.

The construction of the Fortress signed the decline of the autonomy of the Civitas of Narni: with that, and with the others fortresses built by Albornoz , they wanted to increase a wide system to control in one side the territory of link between Perugia, Terni and Amelia and in the other side to dominate the Via Flaminia and the street which goes towards Orte and Lazio.

Between papacy and captains of venture.

From its construction, the fortress was the home of Popes, cardinals and leaders, following their destiny.

Conquered in 1396 by Pandolfo Malatesta came back soon under the influence of the Papal State, at least until 1417 when it was taken by Braccio da Montone to go back, again, under the control of Pope Martino V.

Towards the end of the XV century, Sisto IV ordered the building of the wall which even today links it to the Porta delle Arvolte or Ternana Gate.

This didn’t stop the destruction made by the Lanzichenecchi, returning from the Sack of Rome, in 1527, even those made by the french army in 1789 and had to pass many years before that in 1860 the general Luigi Masi of the Umbrian Brigate was able to bring back the fortress in the hands of the Kingdom of Italy.

In 1906 was purchased, for a small amount of money, by the Russian prince Mestschezsy, who had it until 1972, the year when it became property of a Roman family. Today , the Rocca Albornoziana is heritage of the Municipality of Narni.

The structure.

In the past it was surrounded by a moat and by double walls in square plant with fortified corners by four towers, one of them, definite male, of a height of four floors.

Walls and towers, crowned with corbels, preserve a yard with cistern and a chapel to which you can enter by two elegant doors.

A staircase allows access to the noble floor where an exhibition was re-built which re-build the medieval world of the 16th century.

The minor flanked body of the male, preserves a prestigious spiral staircase in stone which leads to the superior terrace of the tower and allows access to the ambiences of the different floors.

Narnia Pass: a ticket to visit the fortress and the museum in Eroli Palace.

Interesting is the possibility of a single ticket of 9 € which allows the visit both to the art gallery and the museum of the Eroli Palace in the old town of Narni, both to the Fortress.

To purchase the ticket is possible go in one of the two ticket booths or reserve calling to the following numbers: