Rocca Orsini, Rocca in Scurcola Marsicana, L'Aquila, Italy

Rocca Orsini is a medieval fortress in Scurcola Marsicana with a triangular layout, two cylindrical towers at its base corners, and a semi-oval bastion on the northwest side. The structure reveals different building phases and was designed to withstand attacks.

The oldest part is a 13th-century Norman-Swabian enclosure castle built by the De Pontibus family, with a pentagonal tower and triangular walls; it is documented as castrum Sculcule at the 1268 Battle of Tagliacozzo. In 1490 Gentile Virginio Orsini, Count of Tagliacozzo, commissioned Francesco di Giorgio Martini to redesign it as a Renaissance rocca. The Colonna family acquired it in the 16th century without major changes.

The name comes from the Orsini family, who reshaped the fortress in the 15th century and gave it their identity. Visitors can still see traces of this noble rule in the building's architecture and structure today.

Visitors should expect steep paths and uneven ground, as the fortress sits on a hilltop. The best time to explore is during cooler months when walking is more comfortable.

The lower level holds casemates for grazing defence, built into walls thick enough to resist bombards. The walkway runs uninterrupted around the whole perimeter so defenders could move quickly. The triangular plan, set by Francesco di Giorgio Martini in 1490, cut the number of sides besiegers could attack.