Castel Lagopesole
Castel Lagopesole, or simply Lagopesole, is a village and civil parish of the municipality of Avigliano in province of Potenza, Basilicata, southern Italy. It has a population of 652.
History
The name "Lagopesole" is derived from the presence of a lake near the town known as Lacus Pensilis, which dried up at the beginning of the twentieth century.Between the eighth and tenth centuries, Lagopesole played a military role for the control of the ancient Via Herculea, which linked Melfi and Potenza.
At the top of Lagopesole is located a castle, attributed to Frederick II, [Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II] that was probably built between 1242 and 1250. A distinguishing feature of this castle from all the others attributed to Frederick II is the presence of a real church within it in an austere Romanesque style.
Pope Innocent II and Abbot Rinaldo of Montecassino met there in the presence of Emperor Lothair II of Saxony during the war against Roger the Norman. In 1268 and 1294, Charles I of Anjou stayed at the castle. In 1416, both this fortress and the Melfi castle were acquired by the Caracciolo family. In 1531, Emperor Charles V donated it to the Doria family.
In the nineteenth century, the castle was the refuge of bandits, led by Carmine "Donatelli" Crocco, who, on April 7, 1861, occupied it with 400 other brigands.