MASCHIO ANGIOINO CASTLE, Tour

Do you see those three grooved, cylindrical towers? They stand at the Castle's ground entrance, which is the side that faces the Town Hall Square's gardens. The central one was added later on with the works promoted by Alfonso of Aragon. When the sovereign was present in the castle, the flag was hoisted on the flagpole at the back of the mighty Beverello tower, in the direction of the harbor.

But now let me tell you about the Arch of Triumph that you can see framed between the Middle and Right Tower, which is also called the Guard Tower. This arch is not only the entrance to the renovated royal residence, but also the castle's most important architectural and sculptural element, and one of the greatest masterpieces of 15th-century Neapolitan art.

As you can see, it is inspired by the triumphal arches of Roman emperors, but it has one peculiarity: all the architects and sculptors present at the court of Alfonso of Aragon contributed to it. Can you see the two overlapping arches? Concentrate above all on the frieze between one and the other, because it is the focal point of the entire composition: it represents the royal procession that accompanied King Alfonso's entrance into Naples, and was inspired by the triumphal processions of ancient Rome....