Cardinal - The Castle of the Baroness
The ruined manor appearing in the heart of the forest recalls gloomy legends from the past
Where is
Creepy ruins in the advancing forest.
Near Lacina Lake, Baroness Scoppa's castle says enough about itself from its name. Indeed, in certain mid-20th-century photographs it appears as a turreted building, which nevertheless gives the impression of being more of a residence than a fortress. Today reduced to picturesque ruins in the thick of the forest, the castle in fact owes much of its charm to the figure of she who was the lady of the place in the 19th century, Maria Enrichetta Scoppa, baroness of Badolato.
Between history and legend, the figure of the Baroness
Between history and legend, in fact, it is said that the baroness mentioned above, but perhaps even an ancestor of hers, used the castle to entertain licentious liaisons away from prying eyes, safeguarding her good name in a rather hasty manner. Indeed, slanderers fed the rumor that when all was said and done she would direct unsuspecting lovers to the quicksand that actually made the Lacina basin below a place to avoid. That the place was unsavory is also told by its name, Chianu da Jannara, Plain of the Witch, but from here to give credence to the rumors goes a long way.
Lacina Lake among the beech forests of the Serre.
Picturesque is the castle, but even more striking is the scenery. What was once a marshy basin is now an artificial lake formed by damming the Alaco River. All around, beautiful forests, from the belt of alders around the body of water, to the beautiful beech forests that cloak the surrounding ridge tops. A treasure chest of flora and fauna, now protected by a Special Area of Conservation within the Calabrian Serre Park.
Places subject to an ancient pasture deity
Place names are an inexhaustible source of historical suggestions. In this case the locality Lacina most likely refers to the Greek goddess Hera Lacinia, whose cult is documented in several places Calabria as the protector of pastures and flocks. Also likely is the hypothesis that somewhere in this mountain plaga a rural temple was dedicated to her, to which, as has often happened, a small church would have been superimposed, right near the castle, except that even of this for now no trace has been found.
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