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The Medieval Tower of Cerreto Laziale: the fortress, brigands, and a brave cat
The Medieval Tower of Cerreto Laziale is the keep — the central tower, still intact — of a 14th-century fortress. It stood at the centre of a quadrangular castle with four corner towers and a single entrance facing south. Today it is the symbol of the town, along with the local Turkey oak population.
A castrum that needed a real fortress
Cerreto was born as a castrum: a hilltop settlement surrounded by walls, built to withstand attacks. For centuries that was enough. Towards the end of the 14th century, however, Tommaso da Celano had a proper fortress built, equipped with a complete military structure. The tower stood at the center of the quadrilateral, facing the entrance. With the fortress came a small occasional garrison, and the castellan — who had previously dealt only with civil affairs — also became a military commander.
The cat with the burning tail
In 1592, the brigands of Marco Sciarra besieged the town. The people of Cerreto shut themselves inside the tower for days, with no way out. Then they threw a cat with its tail set on fire toward the barns where the brigands were sleeping. The fire put them to flight, and the townspeople finally came out.
The tower today
The tower's rooms host exhibitions, while the adjacent area is used for concerts and theatrical performances.
