The Caetani Castle, a remarkable monument both for its grandeur and for its state of conservation, is the symbol of the city and represents one of the rare examples in Europe of a fortress built on the plain. With its 33 meters high, it dominates the entire plain, which can be admired from its large terrace.
It is composed of a magnificent keep or round tower (elevated to an observation tower and later adapted for defense work) – carefully built with cut stones, with battlements supported by overhanging brackets that rises majestically above a square tower, whose base is formed by large blocks of squared stone – and by the fortress with the tall cylindrical towers at the corners, built with irregular stones.
The latter are characterized by the edging with “sinkers” that allowed the defenders to be protected even when they were forced to throw any type of projectile or instrument of offense against the attackers vertically.
The construction of the fortress dates back to 1319, together with the restructuring of the city walls by Roffredo III Caetani who wanted to make it the center of his lordship.
At the same time, Palazzo Caetani was erected, used as an elegant residence, which was connected directly to the castle with a wooden bridge.
The Caetani family played an important role in the city. It was in fact under the protection of Onorato I Caetani who in 1378 the antipope Clement VII (Western Schism) was elected in Fondi.
In 1504 the dukedom passed to the Colonna and then to the Gonzagas.
Important is the figure of Countess Giulia Gonzaga (sung by Ariosto in Orlando Furioso), widow of Vespasiano Colonna Count of Fondi, who made her palace an important cultural meeting place, so much so that in the Renaissance period Fondi was renamed “the little Athens”.
The fame of her beauty reached the Saracen corsair Kair-ed-Din, known as Barbarossa, who planned the kidnapping of her as a gift to Sultan Suleiman “the Magnificent”.
Legend has it that Giulia, warned in time, fled through the basement that would be in the same castle.