Calabrisella Mia

The Murat Castle in Pizzo Calabro dominates this small, quaint fishing village high atop steep cliffs overlooking the mesmerizing blue-green sea of the Gulf of Euphemia. The castle, or should I say fortress, sits in the main square of this charming and lively town. It is also the site of a pretty significant historical moment.

About the Castle 

The castle, which is actually a fortress, was built in two different periods. Its large tower dates to the end of the 1300s. Later, in the 1400s, work began to construct its rectangular base and an additional tower.

The building served as a military fortress and a prison for some high-profile people. The most famous of these prisoners being Gioacchino Murat, Napoleon’s brother-in-law, who was imprisoned, sentenced to death, and killed by a firing squad in the castle in 1815. This is why it is often referred to as Murat Castle.

This castle is not like many of the others you’ll find in Calabria, many of which are often in ruins. Most of the time you are left to your own imagination to conjure up ideas of what it might have been like. But the Murat Castle in Pizzo is different. You are transported to one of the most notable moments in the history of this town and southern Italy. The castle has been restored and, many of its rooms have been brought back to life through historical recreations. Some of these rooms display life-sized mannequins dressed in traditional costumes. I’ll admit the mannequins are a bit freaky, but they definitely help tell the story of Murat’s imprisonment and subsequent death sentence.

The ticket office is located at the entrance of the castle. If you are planning to spend the day in Pizzo, I would consider purchasing a combo ticket for 4.50€. It gives you admission to both the Murat Castle in Pizzo and the Chiesetta di Piedigrotta located just outside the town centre. A single entrance ticket will set you back 3€.

Who was Gioacchino Murat?

Before we step foot in the castle, let’s just do a quick rundown on who Gioacchino Murat was and why he was so important. Murat was born in France to parents who had hoped he would follow the path to priesthood. But Murat’s wild and exuberant personality took him on a different route. After seeing a regiment pass through the city, he decided to run away and enlist. That moment completely changed his destiny, as he would later become a commander for Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the world’s greatest military leaders and the first Emperor of France. Later he would marry Napoleon’s sister Caroline and become the King of Naples between 1808 and 1815.

Why was he arrested? Well, in 1812, after Napoleon was defeated in one of his campaigns, Murat fled turning his back on his brother-in-law. After some time, he tried to rejoin Napoleon by attempting to create a rebellion in Calabria. However, Napoleon didn’t trust Murat any longer and he was arrested and put on trial for treason.

Now let’s walk through the castle and find out more about Murat’s death.

 Your tour of the Murat castle in Pizzo begins with a hallway lined with prison cells. Within the cells, are some of Murat’s followers who remained in these cells for 14 days before being sent away and then later released with no charges.

As you turn the corner at the end of the hall, you’ll notice a dark room to your left. Murat only remained here temporarily. They moved him to a more secure cell in the tower of the castle while he was awaiting trial.

The next stop is a guard station with an eating area located just before the armory. Lining the walls are displays of various types of arms and weapons that would have been used during that time. The beauty is in the details with the addition of a “modernized” torchlight to illuminate the way – a nice touch if you ask me!

Underground, in the dark, damp, depths of the castle, are the punishment cells – very tight spaces with little to no light.

Now, it’s time to explore the castle’s upper level, which tells the story of Murat’s trial and final days.

At the top of the main stairs is a large room full of paintings, artifacts, full shining knight costumes, and even a bust of Murat himself.

The windows of this room look out onto the most picture-perfect sea view. It looks like a painting, doesn’t it?

Murat’s Final Days

In one of the adjacent rooms, you can see a depiction of the interrogations for Murat’s trial, which began on October 9th, 1815, in front of a military court.

In front of the elected jury is an empty chair, which was Murat’s spot. However, he refused to participate in the trial. They sentenced him to death in his absence.

Nearby, up in the castle’s tower, is Murat’s final cell. Here, on Friday the 13th, he wrote his last letter to his wife. Once he completed his final letter, it was time to face the firing squad.

Murat positioned himself six paces from the firing squad, almost against the wall and standing on a raised step. There is a sign on a wall that shows the place Murat stood before being shot. In front of the firing squad, he pronounced his famous last words, “Soldiers! Do your duty! Straight to the heart but spare the face. Fire!”

However, these wouldn’t actually be his final words because only three soldiers fired over their heads, and Murat remained standing. Murat thanked the squad for their gesture and ordered them to reload. As the story goes, Murat was hit with three bullets, one of which to his heart.

Pizzo Calabro may be a small village, but it has a rich history. This charming town in the province of Vibo Valentia is definitely worth visiting and, a stop at the castle is the best way to learn about this captivating and important story in the history of Southern Italy.

Check out my YouTube video and join me for an afternoon of exploring this village.

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