Macchia d'Isernia

The castle of Macchia d’Isernia raises on the first Norman defensive fortress. The news are documented by the fact that it was the residence of Clementina, the Norman King Ruggero II of Sicily’s daughter (1130-1154), married to Ugone of Molise. The building is situated in the heart of the old town centre of Macchia dominating the whole principal square with its slope basis. It has massive walls, ennobled with a column-arcade, opened on the façade looking on to the square and with an angular, cylindrical tower, equipped with the same columns motif in the higher part. The principal entrance still preserves the drawbridge joint with wooden supports in the inner side. On the western side there is a quadrangular tower decorated with a brick rose window in the higher part. According to some scholars, it could be a Renaissance work. In consequence of the damages of the seism in 1984, the castle underwent consolidation works of the walls structures and the coverings rebuilding. At the present time the building is private property and shows a good preservation state.