The Orsini-Colonna castle (Italian for Castello Orsini-Colonna) is a castle in Avezzano, Province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo).
History
Castello Orsini was constructed in 1490 by Virginio Orsini and, in 1565, it was adapted by Marcantonio Colonna in fortified residence. In 1915 it was deeply damaged by an earthquake. Following its restoration, now it is used as a picture gallery and multifunction space.

Architecture
The squared building is protected by four circular towers at each corner. A circular tower was also in the middle of the internal courtyard, now demolished. The castle had a moat and a drawbridge. The current main entrance was built by the Colonna family to celebrate the battle of Lepanto.

Orsini-Colonna Castle 

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Il castello Orsini si trova alle falde del monte Velino, nei pressi del borgo medievale di Albe Vecchia nel comune di Massa d'Albe (AQ).
Il castello sorge nei pressi dell'area archeologica caratterizzata dai resti dell'insediamento equicolo di Alba Fucens, colonia romana dopo la seconda guerra sannitica del IV secolo a.C., e del successivo borgo medievale di Albe, andato totalmente distrutto a causa del terremoto della Marsica del 1915.

Strategicamente posizionato a controllare l'originario tracciato della via Tiburtina Valeria, il castello venne ricostruito dai conti di Albe per essere distrutto nel 1268 da Carlo d'Angiò, vincitore della battaglia di Tagliacozzo.

Ricostruito di nuovo dalla famiglia Orsini a cominciare dal 1372 dopo la conquista della contea albense, venne gravemente danneggiato dal terremoto marsicano del 1915[2].

Durante la seconda guerra mondiale nel castello si stabilì il quartier generale tedesco dello schieramento impegnato tra la linea Gustav e la linea Caesar.

Architettura
Il castello ha una pianta rettangolare. Della cinta muraria rimangono ancora tre lati, ad esclusione di quello est. Due torrioni circolari a scarpa si trovano agli angoli nord-est e sud-ovest, mentre all'angolo nord-ovest si trovano i resti di una torre quadrangolare.

Il portale d'accesso è caratterizzato da un arco a sesto acuto, che farebbe risalire la costruzione della rocca al trecento, sebbene l'aggiunta della scarpa esterna testimonia una ristrutturazione risalente al XV secolo.

Castello Orsini

Rocca Orsini (Italian for Stronghold of Orsini family) is a Middle Ages castle in Scurcola Marsicana, Province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo).
History
Rocca Orsini is located on the highest part of Scurcola Marsicana. It is composed by different structures belonging to different ages.

The oldest part was built by the De Pontibus family and dates back to the 13th century; it is a Norman-Swabian enclosure castle with a structure similar to many other fortifications in the area of L'Aquila, like Castle of San Pio delle Camere. The structure of the castle was based on a pentagonal tower placed at the higher top and a wall with a triangular plant leading down to the valley. Historical sources confirm the existence of this castle (named "castrum Sculcule") during the battle of Tagliacozzo in 1268 between Conradin and Charles I of Naples.

The transformation of the castle in Renaissance fortress took place in the late 15th century by the Orsini family. Gentile Virginio Orsini, Count of Tagliacozzo and Lord of Bracciano, in 1490 involved for the design of the new structure Francesco di Giorgio Martini, already engaged in the construction of the castle of Campagnano di Roma.

The passage of the castle to the Colonna family in the 16th century didn't bring important changes to the configuration of the structure.
Architecture
Rocca Orsini has a triangular plant with two cylindrical towers on the corners of the base and a bastion to the northwest, replacing the previous pentagonal tower of the enclosure castle.

According to the style of Francesco di Giorgio Martini, the triangular plant reduce the number of sides to defend in case of sieges. The defensive system survived also to the spread of firearms, with the presence of bunkers at the lower level to defend the castle from the attackers and thick walls able to resist to mortars. Moreover, the walkway is uninterrupted for the whole perimeter in order to allow quick movements.

The building, abandoned for a long time, was recently restructured thanks to an initiative of a local committee.

Rocca Orsini

Castello Piccolomini (Italian for Piccolomini castle) is a castle in Celano, Province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo).
History
The building of the castle took place in several stages. In 1392 Pietro De' Berardi built the walls of the castle and the first two floors of the building. In 1451 Leonello Acclozamora built the main floor and the four towers at the corners. In 1463 Antonio Todeschini Piccolomini completed the building as seen today, with an open gallery in the second floor of the courtyard and improvements in the walls around the castle.

The following families succeeded in the castle (like Sforza-Cesarini and Dragonetti) didn't changed further the structure of the building. A deep restoration took place since 1940, put on hold during World War II, restarted in 1955 and completed in 1960. Now the building is used as offices for the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, in addition to a museum of sacred arts. 
Architecture
The main building has a rectangular plan, with the longest sides facing north and south. The internal courtyard hosts a well and it is surrounded by a colonnade.

The building is protected by irregular walls with several towers, part of them with a squared plan, and other ones trunk-conical shaped.

Castello Piccolomini (Celano) 

Il castello Piccolomini è un monumento nazionale che si trova ai bordi della piana del Fucino, nel comune di Ortucchio in provincia dell'Aquila.