A small castle overlooking the sea
In the heart of the port of Civitavecchia you can admire the Rocca, which in addition to ensuring control of the port, represented an important key to communication with Rome. Continuing north beyond the Vanvittelli fountain and the walls of Urban VIII, you can see traces of the ancient construction.
The Ancient Fortress of Civitavecchia is an important historical building of medieval origin erected on the ancient ruins of the Roman dock around which the current city of Civitavecchia developed. Also known as the Fortress, the Fortress of Civitavecchia is a real castle, built around 1400 under the pontificate of Pope Callixtus III to complete the protective walls of the maritime village of the ancient Centumcellae. The Fortress considered impregnable for centuries and the central nucleus of the medieval city was almost completely destroyed in 1943 following the bombings of the Second World War that hit the city. The structure currently visible is actually only the base of the terminal part, separated from the part facing the city by the road that runs along the entire Calata Maggiore. Despite this, the power and importance of the walls placed to defend centuries of history can be perceived.
