The first historical mention of Jacopo Caldora‘s marquisal palace appears in a document cited by the seventeenth-century chronicler Nicola Alfonso Viti. This document refers to compensation granted by the lord of Vasto to the Augustinian friars in 1427 for the use of part of their garden to build a palace. There is no evidence to…
Situated today in front of the Belvedere Romani, which overlooks the Angrella valley, the Arch of Porta Nuova is both the oldest and the most recent gate of the historic city. Built in 1790 under the direction of Master Juror Giuseppe Tambelli, the arch occupies a location about twenty meters behind its original position, where…
A circular tower overlooks Piazza Verdi, the city’s main traffic crossroads, easily identifiable by its fifteenth-century base, which contrasts with the second floor built in the twentieth century and covered in plaster. This is the Santo Spirito Tower, one of the five towers that originally formed part of the defensive bulwarks of the “degli inforzi”…
Hidden among the alleys between Corso Plebiscito and Corso Garibaldi, the Diomede del Moro Tower, also known as the Damante Tower, stands out as the best-preserved of the three surviving towers of the city walls completed by Giacomo Caldora in 1439. To fully appreciate its structure, one must view it from Vico Storto del Passero,…
The Bassano Tower, rising twenty meters above the main city square, is named after the Bassano family. This family arrived in Vasto from the Republic of Venice in the previous century, built the tower in the seventeenth century, and made it their residence for nearly two centuries. Today, the tower features a shop on the…
Jacopo Caldora, also known as Giacomo Caldora, was an Italian nobleman, military leader, and captain of fortune who lived from 1369 to 1439. His legacy is closely tied to the history of Vasto, where he became lord in 1422. The son of Giovanni Antonio Caldora, Jacopo displayed exceptional military talent from a young age, quickly…
The square next to the apse of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, from which a spectacular staircase leads down to the door of Santa Maria, today known as “Porta Catena”, is called Piazza del Tomolo. The name comes from an ancient commercial measurement, corresponding to the amount of grain needed to sow a tomolo…
The Caldoresco Castle in Vasto is one of the city’s most significant historical landmarks. With its imposing silhouette standing out against the sky, it has symbolized power and strength for centuries. The current structure, with its eclectic and composite forms, serves as a living testament to the city’s rich history. By observing it closely, one…