A Fortress, a Town, An Emperor.
Frederick II in Gualdo Tadino.
Welcome to Gualdo Tadino and to the Rocca Flea.
We are talking about a building with extremely ancient origins as there was probably already a small fort on the site occupied by the Rocca Flea possibly from the period between the 7th and 8th centuries C.E. If we’re talking about a structure in masonry, then we must advance in time to a period later than the year One Thousand, in all likelihood between the 11th and the 12th centuries.
The studies I have conducted into this castle have led me to conclude that the first section of the medieval castle to be constructed in masonry was the Cavaliera Tower.
In effect, the Cavaliera Tower has all the structural and typological characteristics of an early Romanesque tower, and these are precisely the distinctive types of structural elements belonging to the aforementioned period i.e. the 11th and 12th centuries. If we want to give a brief account of the different historical phases which in some way have left their mark on the transformations undergone by this monumental building complex, then we would have to summarise them in this way.
As we said, the earliest section to be constructed was the Cavaliera Tower, followed, in 1240, by the enlargement and strengthening of the Rocca Flea subsequent to the arrival in Gualdo of Frederick II, who was also responsible for the foundation and development of the town of Gualdo Tadino, a town which has all the hallmarks of one designed by Frederick. Between 1240 and 1242, the fortress was extended and fortified to become, together with the town, a border post within the territories governed by the Emperor. In fact, Gualdo was situated right on the demarcation line between the Ghibelline and Guelf territories.The former linked to the Emperor, while the latter owed allegiance to the Papal States.Another fundamental stage in the process of change and transformations of the Rocca Flea was in the middle of the 14th century when Perugia wanted to reinforce its political domination of the territory and added the new keep to the fortress.
However, the real transformation of the Fortress took place from the beginning of the 1500s and throughout most of the 16th century. At the end of the 15th century, Gualdo acquired the status of a Papal Legation and the ancient castle and military fortress lost its pre-eminent rôle as a garrison and was converted by two Papal Legates, Cardinal Del Monte and Cardinal Giovanni Salviati, into a noble residence. The first renovation was that of Cardinal del Monte, who took over most of the great courtyard as the site of his residence. That wing is now called Cardinal del Monte’s Wing and also houses, among other things, the Sala della Città.
The second intervention was commissioned by Cardinal Giovanni Salviati, who was Papal Legate in Gualdo from 1543 to 1553. During his time in office, the fortified wing of the castle was transformed into a fitting residence for a Cardinal, as documented by a number of inscriptions still visible on the walls of various rooms which were, originally, liberally frescoed. From the 17th century on, the fortress was the object of numerous unfortunate restructurings which, to a large degree, altered its original character, for instance the demolition of the battlements to mention but one. There are many historical events linking Frederick II of Svevia to various parts of Umbria. One historically momentous example, we can cite, took place in Gubbio.
On the 29th January 1240, Frederick II wrote a letter from Gubbio addressed to Riccardo di Montefuscolo, executioner in Capitanata, in which he communicated certain instructions regarding the building work to be carried out at Castel del Monte. This is the only extant document from the time of Frederick II which mentions this castle which is considered to be the most fascinating and enigmatic of those built by the man known as Stupor Mundi ( Wonder of the World).
As I was saying, this historic document was despatched from Gubbio, and Frederick II and his Court also departed from Gubbio in the direction of Gualdo Tadino, where they set up camp on the 30th January 1240. Once there, an extraordinary event took place which would determine the future destiny of Gualdo. Frederick II of Svevia decided to create a new town intended to be a major stronghold for the governance and political control of the Imperial territories lying on the frontier with the Papal States.
When Frederick II of Svevia and his Court arrived in the locality of Gualdo, the town’s third and final physionomy was beginning to take shape, thanks to the concession of an emphyteusis (perpetual lease) by the Benedictines of Colle Sant’Angelo. As I was saying, Frederick II decided to repurpose this locality as an important outpost, both from a military and a political point of view. A new town was created, a miniature masterpiece of a medieval town, built according to the canons of Frederick’s conception of town planning. Even historians underline the fact that despite having been somewhat sidelined by the historiography dealing with town planning and with the towns founded by Frederick, Gualdo manifests all the characteristics of one of Frederick’s new towns.
Put briefly, these characteristics of town planning are: subdivision of the town into four districts, a ring of walls with four gateways, regularity of the basic lay-out coinciding lengthwise and symetrically with the central longitudinal axis, the decumanus( principal thoroughfare) typical of Roman towns, the town square placed centrally at the intersection of the axes of the major thoroughfares in the urban plan.
At the north-eastern end of the decumanus lies the Rocca Flea set within its vast area of appurtenance, a military island inside the walls. Its primary purpose was to defend the town, but it was also intended as the affermation of the power of the State as well as the Emperor’s regulatory philosophy. The opposite terminus is the north-western one looking towards Perugia which is coincidental with the Gateway of San Benedetto. As this was the entrance most vulnerable to attack, it was also, for this very reason, the most solidly structured.
This then is a summary account of the history of the Rocca Flea and the founding of the third and final version of Gualdo.
(The Architect Nello Teodori, designer for the restoration project and the lay-out of the Rocca Flea).