Faleria. Castel Paterno

Beyond the wall of the cemetery of Faleria are the remains of what was once one of the most important central Italian castles dating back to the eleventh century and where German Emperor Otto III died on January 3, 1002.

Perhaps his death was caused by poison which had been administered by his concubine Stefania, wife of Crescenzio Patrick Romano, who the emperor had beheaded on the terraces of Castel Sant'Angelo, for being rebellious to his priorities.

The Paterno castle belonged to San Silvestro, then from 1244 to the monastery of San Lorenzo al Verano and in the XV and XVI centuries it was property of the Anguillara family.

The Paterno castle was abandoned in the XVI century and in a 1549 document, the place was called Castri diruti Paterno.

Ancient legends tell of an emperor treasure that included a mother hen with seven golden chicks
 


Written by:
Benedicta Lee

Born in Rome from an Italian mother and American father, she works as a freelance communications manager and designer in the tourism sector, a career and interest which she is pursuing with a...

Recommended

Subscribe to Newsletter

Discover a territory through the emotions of the people that have lived it.