Castello di Oricola

The Castello di Oricola is a medieval lowland castle on the edge of the Piana del Cavaliere plateau in the Abruzzo province of L'Aquila. The small fortress once controlled an important pass between Lazio and Abruzzo and is protected as an Italian national monument. The village of Oricola itself is a typical mountain hamlet of fewer than 1,000 inhabitants. Visitors venturing off the tourist routes into the northern Abruzzo will find a quiet stop here with views across the plateau.