Castello Aragonese di Baia, Bacoli

The Aragonese Castle stands in Baia, a hamlet of Bacoli, and is located in an area of considerable strategic importance.It was erected on a promontory naturally defended on the east by a high tuffaceous cliff overlooking the sea, and on the west by the deep depression given by the calderas of two volcanoes called "Fondi di Baia"; with the addition of walls, moats and drawbridges, the castle was practically impregnable. Its position-from which it overlooked the entire Gulf of Pozzuoli as far as Procida, Ischia and Cumae-allowed very extensive control of the area, preventing both the approach of enemy fleets and any landing of troops who might have wanted to march on Naples by surprise from behind.