The ghost of Vicalvi Castle and the mysterious story of Aleandra Maddaloni

Vicalvi Castle, in the small village of the same name in the Comino Valley, in the province of Frosinone, is known for its long history and for tales of apparitions. The most famous legend is that of Aleandra Maddaloni, the lady of the castle who, according to tradition, never left its walls. In this article we look at both the history of the castle and the much darker story of its “Chained Lady”.

The Lombard castle of Vicalvi

The castle stands on a rocky spur about 600 metres high, where a Roman acropolis once stood, and the oldest fortifications on the site date back as far as the 5th or 4th century BC. The first document mentioning the castle is from 937. It was a Lombard possession of the princes of Capua, then in 1017 it passed to the abbey of Montecassino, which held it until the early 13th century. It then went to the d’Aquino family, who strengthened it with a double ring of walls, briefly to the Étendard and back to the d’Aquino, and finally to the Cantelmo. The Cantelmo, however, chose the nearby castle of Alvito as their residence, and Vicalvi was abandoned and slowly fell into ruin.

Today it is a ruin, but its remains still show its different building phases and the role it played in a wider defensive system along with the castles of Alvito and Picinisco. During the Second World War the Germans turned it into a field hospital, and the red cross painted at that time can still be seen on its walls.

The legend of Aleandra Maddaloni

The protagonist of the legend is Aleandra Maddaloni, whom some sources call Alejandra. Not even tradition agrees on when she lived: some say the 15th century, others the 18th. She was the wife of a nobleman of Spanish origin, a soldier who spent long periods away from home fighting, leaving her alone in the castle.

To fill that loneliness, the story goes, the lady began luring young men to the castle with the promise of a night of love. None of them ever went home. After the night spent with her they were killed, and the next day a loyal servant removed every trace, leaving the bodies far from the castle. Some versions speak of a chasm, a kind of pit into which the young lovers fell, never to return.

Rumours of the disappearances, however, began to spread, until they reached her husband’s ears. When he found out what happened while he was away, the punishment was terrible. He had his wife chained and walled her up alive in one of the castle towers, condemning her to a slow death, in the dark, in hunger and thirst.

The Chained Lady

Since then, the legend says, Aleandra has never left the castle. Especially after sunset, the ghost of a woman with long black hair is said to appear among the ruins. Some swear they have heard moans and the rattle of chains coming from the towers, which is why she is called the “Chained Lady”. According to some, her spirit still tries to lure the young men who venture inside the walls, to drag them with her into that chasm of no return.

There are no historical documents confirming Aleandra’s story, and it is probably a folk tale born around an abandoned and fascinating castle, like so many in Italy. Many legends about “ladies walled up alive” resemble each other, and they often served to explain mysterious ruins or as a warning against betrayal.

Conclusions

Vicalvi Castle remains a fascinating place, full of history and ghostly tales that keep intriguing locals and visitors alike. Whether the ghost of Aleandra Maddaloni really roams its walls or is just a product of folk tradition, her story lives on, and if you happen to be in the area at sunset, maybe listen carefully. You never know, you might hear the clink of a chain.

Sources

• SiViaggia, Il mistero del Castello di Vicalvi
• Discover Places, Legend of Vicalvi Castle