Pirro del Balzo Castle

Building work began in 1470 at the wish of Duke Pirro del Balzo, as part of a wider fortification plan: a square layout, four round towers and a deep moat all around. The Del Balzo coat of arms, a radiant sun, can still be seen on the west tower.

To make room for it, the Romanesque cathedral and the district around it were demolished and a new cathedral was built lower down — which is why Venosa’s cathedral is not where you would expect it. The fortress later became a noble residence under the Gesualdo family — the family of Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa and renowned composer of madrigals — and a sixteenth-century loggia with octagonal pillars was opened onto the courtyard.

What to see

• The moat and the towers: walking around the outside, from the entrance bridge on Piazza Umberto I, is free and worth the stop on its own.
• The courtyard and the Renaissance loggia.
• The «Mario Torelli» National Archaeological Museum, set in the semi-underground walkways of the towers.

Visiting tips

• Entry is with the museum ticket: the €8 combined ticket (valid for 3 days) also covers the Archaeological Park.
• Admission is free on the first Sunday of the month.
• The castle also houses the town library and historical archive.

Nearby: the House of Horace is a short walk along the main street; the Archaeological Park and the Holy Trinity Abbey are about one and a half kilometres away, at the far end of town.