An irregular castle in the heart of the village of Cerveteri
The Ruspoli castle dominates the center of the medieval village of Cerveteri. Its irregular shape is striking, due to the presence of Etruscan structures, which were partially incorporated into the walls built in the 13th century. From the Piazza di Santa Maria, the crenellated walls, the Clock Tower, the loggia and the rusticated door with a noble coat of arms stand out.
The castle was initially owned by the Papal State, then passed into the hands of various noble families and in 1674 it was purchased by Bartolomeo Ruspoli. The family acquired the title of principality of the lands of Cerveteri from Pope Clement IX. A territory that from 1834 proved to be of exceptional importance thanks to the Etruscan findings. The Ruspoli family donated a portion of the castle to the state to allow the exhibition of the finds discovered in the necropolis. During the Renaissance, decorative works were carried out in several rooms of the Castle. Among the artists called to the court to work are several, in particular in the summer of 1524 Benvenuto Cellini and the Painter known as Rosso Fiorentino intervened, who worked in the summer of 1524. Thanks to this group of artists today we can admire: the room of propitiatory rites, bedroom of the wife of the Count of Anguillara Gentil Virginio Orsini. The grotesque ceiling with mythological figures stands out for its quality. After 1730, the passageway was added which allowed the Family to enter the church of Santa Maria Maggiore by looking out over a balcony.
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