La famiglia piccolomini e i castelli d’abruzzo. Rappresentatività e lin- guaggi aristocratici fra regno di napoli e stato della chiesa

The Piccolomini family and the Abruzzi’s castles. Representativity and aristocratic languages between kingdom of Naples and the Church state The castle of Celano, in the Abruzzi region, is one of the most significant architectures in the region. In this building the transition from late Gothic to Renaissance forms is clear. Lionello Accrocciamuro, from 1451, sponsored the late Gothic construction. Subsequently Antonio Todeschini Piccolomini, nephew of Pius II, received the countship of Celano, after his marriage to Maria d’Aragona, natural daughter of the king of Naples Ferdinando I. From 1463 he will support works in the castle of Celano, also creating the loggia on the main floor in typical Renaissance language. Antonio kept the late Gothic elements and in some cases, continued to use a transitional language. The castle of Celano is therefore characterized as an experimental architecture, inducing a strong influence on forms and languages used in other castles in the county of Celano.