Castel Nuovo, Naples

Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino) The New Castle (House of Anjou)
Naples, Italy
The castle seen from the north west
Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino) The New Castle (House of Anjou)
Coordinates	40°50′18″N 14°15′12″E / 40.838408°N 14.253307°E / 40.838408; 14.253307
Site information
Owner	Comune di Napoli Naples Comune
Controlled by	Napoli Beneculturali Naples Ministry of Culture
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Good
Site history
Built	1282
Built by	Pierre de Chaulnes and Pierre d'Angincourt on behalf of Charles I of Anjou
In use	Still in use today
Materials	Sandstone

Castel Nuovo (Italian: "New Castle"), often called Maschio Angioino (Italian: "Angevin Keep"), is a medieval castle located in front of Piazza Municipio and the city hall (Palazzo San Giacomo) in central Naples, Italy. Its scenic location and imposing size makes the castle, first erected in 1279, one of the main architectural landmarks of the city.

Before the accession of Charles I of Naples (Charles of Anjou) to the throne in 1266, the capital of the Kingdom of Naples was Palermo. There was a royal residence in Naples, at the Castel Capuano. However, when the capital was moved to Naples, Charles ordered a new castle, not far from the sea, built to house the court. Works, directed by French architects, began in 1279 and were completed three years later.

Due to the War of the Sicilian Vespers, the new fortress remained uninhabited until 1285, when Charles died and was succeeded by his son, Charles II. Castel Nuovo soon became the nucleus of the historical center of the city, and was often the site of famous events. For example, on December 13, 1294, Pope Celestine V resigned as pope in a hall of the castle. Eleven days later, Boniface VIII was elected pope here by the cardinal collegium and immediately moved to Rome to avoid the Angevin authority.

Under king Robert (reigned from 1309), the castle was enlarged and embellished, becoming a centre of patronage of art. In 1347 Castel Nuovo was sacked by the army of Louis I of Hungary, and had to be heavily restored after the return of queen Joanna I. The new works permitted the queen to resist the Hungarian siege during Louis' second expedition. The castle was besieged numerous times in the following years, and was the official residence of King Ladislaus from 1399. It decayed under his sister Joanna II.