Castello Aragonese
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Why go
- The Aragonese castle’s square walled core and four towers.
- Frescoes from the school of Giotto in the Cattedrale dell’Assunta crypt.
- Terrace dining overlooking Ischia.
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 16:30Show all
Don't miss
- Tunnel openingsThe high openings once let defenders drop stones and boiling oil onto attackers.The tunnel through the rock.
- Immacolata exhibitionsThe church has hosted temporary painting and sculpture exhibitions since its restoration in 1980.Chiesa dell’Immacolata.
- Cathedral weddingThe old cathedral was the setting for Vittoria Colonna and Ferrante d’Avalos’s wedding on 27 December 1509.The old cathedral, Cattedrale dell’Assunta.
- Nuns’ stone seatsThe underground cemetery has stone seats where nuns’ bodies were placed for mummification.The Convento delle Clarisse underground cemetery.
- ULE introductory videoA short video projected on paper introduces the project and its development.The ULE installation.
Know before you go
- Open 09:00–18:30, except 7 January.
What's inside
- The gallery and bookshop occupies the Clarisse nuns’ former refectory and Gabriele Mattera’s studio, presenting jewellery, ceramics, sculpture and textiles.
- An exhibit focuses on medieval torture.
- ULE, by Daniele Papuli, combines paper, water and ink in sculpture, installation and video. Its layered paper sculptures are called “Cuti”.
Tips for your visit
- Choose between the old mule track and the modern lift for the ascent. The lift reaches 60 metres above sea level and provides an easier way up.
Best time to visit
- For the annual Ischia Film Festival, plan a visit in late June or early July.
- The ruined Cattedrale dell’Assunta hosts concerts and readings.
Interesting facts5
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300,000 years
The volcanic rock formed about 300,000 years ago and rises 113 metres above sea level.
Castello Aragonese (Ischia) - Wikipedia -
1700
Around 1700, the islet had 13 churches.
Aragonese Castle - Wikipedia -
The castle contained royal apartments and rooms for the court, military and servants.
Castello Aragonese (Ischia) - Wikipedia -
Until the mid-15th century, access was by an external staircase; remnants survive on the side facing Vivara.
Castello Aragonese (Ischia) - Wikipedia -
A casemate at the castle’s foot housed the garrison responsible for operating the drawbridge.
Castello Aragonese (Ischia) - Wikipedia
Shorts
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Castello Aragonese d’Ischiallavieboheme
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Castello Aragonese di Ischia e Ischia Ponte al tramontoMrAlberop
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ALBA AL CASTELLO ARAGONESEIschitan Post
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Città Metropolitana. Promozione di itinerari in tutti i comuni: Il Ca…teleischia tv
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Ischia Castello Aragonese storm and sunset / tempesta e tramontoCrazy Girls
History
The d’Avalos family governed the castle for two centuries. At its late 16th-century peak, the fortified settlement housed 1,892 families, religious communities, a bishop and a prince. By 1637, only 250 residents remained. A plague in 1655 contributed to further depopulation, and by 1770 the population had fallen to 63.
- 474 BCHiero I of Syracuse built the first fortress and two towers to watch enemy fleets.
- 326 BCRomans captured the fortress; the Parthenopeans later retook it.
- 1301After a lava flow destroyed Geronda, residents took refuge on the islet, which grew into a town.
- 1441Alfonso V of Aragon reshaped the castle, strengthened its walls and replaced the wooden bridge with a stone one.
- 1501–1536Vittoria Colonna lived at the castle and hosted artists and writers, including Michelangelo and Ludovico Ariosto.
Show all
- 1809British bombardment destroyed most of the castle.
- 1823Ferdinand I relocated the remaining 30 residents and converted the castle into a prison for life-sentenced inmates.
- 1851The castle became a political prison for Risorgimento supporters.
- 1860The political prison was abolished as Ischia joined the Kingdom of Italy.
- 1912The state auctioned the castle to private owners, who undertook restoration and upkeep.
Sources: Aragonese Castle - Wikipedia · Ischia - Wikivoyage (see) · Homepage - Castello Aragonese d'Ischia · Programma la tua visita - Castello Aragonese d'… · La storia del Castello - Castello Aragonese d'I… · Daniele Papuli. ULE, carte visionarie - Castell… · Castello Aragonese (Ischia) - Wikipedia · Château aragonais (Ischia) - Wikipedia · Castello Aragonese (Ischia) - Wikipedia · checked 6 Oct 2026
- Website
- castelloaragonese.it/
- Phone
- +39081992834
Questions and answers
Can you stay on the islet of Castello Aragonese?
A wing of the former monastery houses a hotel in cells that once housed nuns.
What does the Castello Aragonese bookshop sell?
Books about Ischia and Naples, postcards, photographs and castle keepsakes.
Who is the chapel along the Castello Aragonese entrance tunnel dedicated to?
John Joseph of the Cross, Ischia’s patron saint.
What was Castello Aragonese called under Alfonso V?
Regium Castrum, meaning “Royal Castle”.
What does the foundation based at Castello Aragonese do?
The Karin e Gabriele Mattera Foundation preserves Gabriele Mattera’s art, promotes contemporary art and supports restoration and research at the castle.
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