[1] Placed at 1,500 m (4,900 ft) on the Selva mountain to protect the village of Barisciano, the castle was built around the 8th century in a strategic position on the plateau of Navelli and on access to the Gran Sasso d'Italia.

In the 13th century it was enlarged as an enclosure castle into accommodate the population in case of danger.

It was still included as part of L'Aquila until 1529, when it became a fief of aristocratic families.

In memory of the epidemic occurred in 1526, the church of Saint Roch was built close to one of the castle's towers and it houses a wooden statue of the saint and some frescoes.

Inside the walls there are remains of other buildings even if, like the castle, they were not permanently inhabited.