Castel Menardo

Castel Menardo is a medieval castle in Serramonacesca that features a triangular overall shape and substantial stone structures. The fortress combines a rectangular section with two round towers positioned at the other corners of the fortification.

The castle was built between the 12th and 14th centuries as protection for the nearby Abbey of San Liberatore. It was constructed to defend the region against attackers coming from the Val Pescara area.

The fortress displays typical features of medieval defensive architecture with its corner towers and thick walls. Today visitors can still see in the ruins how the castle controlled the valley and protected the communities living there.

Access to the castle ruins is via a roughly one-kilometer footpath that branches off from the road leading to the Hermitage of Sant'Onofrio. The path is straightforward to follow, and sturdy footwear is recommended since the ground is uneven.

The location between the Maiella mountains and Val Pescara was so strategically valuable that a small garrison could control the entire route from this point. This geographic position made the fortress one of the most important defensive points in the region, even though today it survives only as ruins.