Castelmauro. Piazza del Popolo

The mountain villages of Italy amaze with their gorgeous observation platforms and ancient architecture. We are going to the province of Campobasso, in the community of Castelmauro, built at an altitude of 690 meters above sea level.

At the time of the founding (11th12th century), the architectural plan of the town included three gates in Castelmauro. One of them was called Porta-Popolo and was located on the site of the modern Piazza del Popolo, which we can see on the screen.

In 1250, a castle was built in Castelmauro, with both natural and man-made walls. The rocks and the fortress perfectly complemented each other, but over time, the castle was rebuilt, and in 1741, it became known as the Ducale Palace.

Today, about 1,500 people live in the quiet mountain village, but every year the population is rapidly decreasing. Over the past 50 years, it has decreased by two times.

In addition to the cozy medieval streets and squares in Castelmauro, tourists can visit the astronomical observatory of Giovanni Boccardi, located to the west of the village, on the top of Mount Mauro.