Description
Dominating three valleys under the Prenestini and Tiburtini mountains, just 20 minutes east of Rome and 10 minutes from Tivoli, is the Castello di Ciciliano. The many historical events of which he was the protagonist have left their marks. Big signs like the different shape of the towers, small signs like the graffiti left by those who were locked up in his prisons still strongly evident and visible. Epochal events and small human events united by the flow of history. Does the Castle stand on top? of the hill occupied by the historic center of the town of Ciciliano. A sublacense register of the year 1000 reports the news of the donation of the Castle of Ciciliano to the Abbey of Subiaco. Historical sources attribute the foundation of the manor and the village below to Arab workers defeated in 916 along the Aniene river. Other sources date the foundation to the 12th century.
For a long period of ownership? of the Colonna family, at the end of the fifteenth century step? to the Church of Rome and, with ups and downs, return? more? times of ownership? dei Colonna.
Confiscated by Pope Alexander VI Borgia and donated by him to his sons Cesare and Lucrezia, known for the hasty methods of resolving his enmities, will the castle come back? to the Colonna family only after the Pope's death in 1503.
During the pontificate of Paul III Farnese (1534-1549), the castle was conquered and conquered by the pontiff's family. IS? 1545. A few years later, in 1563, Marco Antonio Colonna ceded the property to Prince Domenico Massimo. Finally, in 1576, I pass? to the Theodoli family that still today is? Quadrangular in shape, with 4 bastions at the corners (circular the one on the southern corner added in the 15th century and the other 3 quadrangular in plan), it has an entrance consisting of 2 symmetrical exedra ramps, the result of transformations carried out in the first decades of the twentieth century. At the access level, between the 2 ramps, and? there is a room used as a garage. From the same period are the transformations carried out on the top level, in particular the construction of the flat roof following the removal of the pitched roof of the Guelph battlements commissioned by the architect Gerolamo Theodoli.
From the main floor there is access to 2 small but splendid gardens hanging, along the boundary wall of which there are patrol walkways. Partly in good condition (first floor) and partly to be restored (second floor and turrets). The castle is perfect for the construction of a private residence of absolute value or for the construction of a headquarters for a foundation. It is also suitable for the construction of a boutique hotel and for events even if access to machines is limited due to the conformation of the village below and for this destination it is necessary to make numerous changes.
