The Castle of Sermoneta is one of the most striking medieval fortresses in Lazio. Built in the mid-13th century by the Annibaldi family, it was established as a military outpost dominating the strategic route between Rome and Naples. The original complex included the Maschio Tower, originally built over four levels and taller than it is today, flanked by the smaller counter-tower known as the Maschietto. Nearby stood another substantial building, now reduced to its surviving foundations.
In 1297, thanks to the mediation of Pope Boniface VIII, Pietro II Caetani purchased Sermoneta and its surrounding lands for 140,000 gold florins, transforming the fortress into the beating heart of a powerful feudal dominion. At the beginning of the 14th century, upon taking possession of Sermoneta, the Caetani expanded the Annibaldi stronghold with a series of new buildings. Among these were the great Sala dei Baroni (Hall of the Barons) and the richly decorated Painted Rooms. They also constructed the building later known as the “old kitchen” and laid out the first defensive walls, incorporating and restoring the small church of San Pietro.
A highly significant chapter for the castle’s history began with the election of Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503). In 1499, he excommunicated the Caetani and seized their possessions. Under his orders, the castle underwent major alterations: the walls were reinforced, the Maschio Tower lowered, and both a ravelin and an inner citadel were constructed. The church of San Pietro in Corte was demolished, as part of an act of damnatio memoriae, intended to erase the family’s influence from memory. After Alexander VI’s death, Pope Julius II restored the fief to the Caetani family in 1504. In the centuries that followed, the castle remained largely intact. Its decline was accelerated at the end of the 18th century, when French troops occupied and plundered it. Despite these hardships and periods when parts of the complex were rented out, in the last decades of the 19th century, the Caetani eventually returned to care for the fortress.
At the end of the 19th century, under Gelasio Caetani, extensive restoration works brought the castle back to life. Misuse of the castle during the Second World War and the years that followed led to further damage to the structure. In recent times, the Caetani family and the Roffredo Caetani Foundation have carefully restored and revitalised the castle, opening it to cultural activities in collaboration with leading national and international institutions.
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