Albornoz Fortress of Narni

The Albornoz fortress stands imposingly over Narni and the Nera Gorges, surrounded by lush vegetation.
The imposing building is part of that system of fortresses that the Papacy, after Avignon, placed to guard the newly reconquered Church State. Its position and construction features show the desire to control the territory, crossed by communication routes with Perugia, Terni and Amelia.
Cardinal Egidio De Albornoz (Cuenca, 1299 - Viterbo 1367) had it built in 1367 on a height difference of 332m above sea level, in a very favorable position to defend against military attacks. The Cardinal worked to strengthen papal power, often designing and building castles and fortresses, as symbols of the power of the Church.
The fortress has a quadrangular plan with the corners fortified by four towers and is surrounded by a moat and a second wall. The walls and towers, crowned with corbels, enclose a courtyard which is accessed through two elegant portals: the courtyard, also square, is surrounded by two buildings and pleasant stairs allow access to the first floor, where it was the stately residence. The largest of the four towers is identified as the keep, with a side of 20 arms and a height of four floors, plus the basement.
The fortress was built on the remains of an original military settlement built by Federico Barbarossa, and after only five years, in 1371, Pietro or Giovanni di Nevico, the first castellan, took possession of it. The works were completed in 1378. Several architects worked on the project, including presumably Ugolino I of Montemarte and Matteo Gattapone, who worked on various constructions commissioned by Cardinal Albornoz.
Between 1370 and 1449 it was the home of popes, cardinals and leaders, following their fortunes. In 1395 it was conquered by Pandolfo Malatesta and then returned to the hands of the Pope; it was granted jurisdiction to Andrea Tomacelli, brother of Boniface IX. In 1417 Braccio Fortebraccio, a noble leader from Perugia, occupied Narni and the Rocca di Albornoz. A few years later the fortress returned to a pontiff, Martin V, and his noble family, the Colonnas. Other popes followed: Eugene IV and Nicholas V. The latter began a series of works to expand the defensive structures; works that continued under the papacies of Sixtus IV and Innocent VIII, until the end of the fifteenth century.
The Fortress of Albornoz suffered many sieges including that in 1527 by the Landsknechts who, having returned victorious from Rome, revolted against Narni. After an initial victory by the Narnesi, the Landsknechts prevailed, entered the city and destroyed it. Numerous other attacks followed until 1798 when, with the proclamation of the Roman Republic and the escape of Pius VI, a French army led by General Berthier stripped the fortress of weapons in order to obtain cannons. In 1860 it was conquered by General Luigi Masi of the Umbria brigade and ceded to the Kingdom of Italy.
Throughout the 19th century it was a prison and in 1906 it was purchased for a paltry sum by the Russian prince Mestschezsy; in 1972 it became the property of a Roman family while today it is a cultural heritage property of the Municipality of Narni and the Province of Terni.Among the most important figures who were hosted at the Rocca di Albornoz we remember Cardinal Duranti Durante, the archbishop and astronomer Alessandro Piccolomini and Count Francesco Cenci, who stayed here as a prisoner (umbriatourism.it/it -/rocca-albornoziana).