Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino)

Lonely Planet review

Known to locals as the Maschio Angioino and to everyone else as the Castel Nuovo, this imposing 13th-century castle is one of Naples' most striking buildings.

Christened the Castrum Novum (New Castle) to distinguish it from the older Castel dell'Ovo and Castel Capuano, it was erected in three years from 1279. A royal residence, it was a popular hang-out for the leading intellectuals and artists of the day, such as Petrarch, Boccaccio and Giotto.

Of the original structure only the Cappella Palatina remains; the rest is the result of renovations by the Aragonese two centuries later, as well as a meticulous restoration effort prior to WWII.

Now the venue of city council meetings, the stark stone Sala dei Baroni (Hall of the Barons) is named after the barons who were slaughtered here in 1486 for plotting against King Ferdinand I of Aragon. Its striking ribbed vault fuses ancient Roman and Spanish late-Gothic influences.

The cappella forms part of the museum, spread across several halls on three floors. The 14th- and 15th-century frescoes and sculptures on the ground floor are of the most interest.

The other two floors mostly display paintings, either by Neapolitan artists, or with Naples or Campania as subjects, covering the 17th to the early 20th centuries.

In summer the castle's courtyard is often used for outdoor concerts.