Castello di Caccamo

Caccamo Castle
Castello di Caccamo
Caccamo, Sicily, Italy

The castle as seen from the northwest
Castello di Caccamo
Coordinates 37°55′54.4″N 13°39′36.4″E / 37.931778°N 13.660111°E / 37.931778; 13.660111
Type Castle
Site information
Owner Region of Sicily
Open to
the public		 Yes
Condition Intact
Site history
Built 12th century
Built by Matthew Bonnellus
Materials Stone
Events Barons' Revolt of 1160

The Castello di Caccamo (English: Caccamo Castle) is a castle in Caccamo, Sicily. It is among the largest and best preserved Norman castles in Sicily, and one of the largest in Italy.[1]

The castle is built on a steep cliff, 521 metres above sea level. It overlooks the surrounding countryside, including the San Leonardo River Valley, and the Rosmarina artificial lake.[2]

History

The site of the Castello di Caccamo was probably originally occupied by an Arab fortress. The castle as it is today was built by Matthew Bonnellus in the 12th century. It was later modified by the Chiaramontes in the 14th century, and by other rulers until the 17th century.[3]

The castle is a large structure built of white stone, having an irregular plan. It has walls with V-shaped battlements, towers, a moat and a courtyard. The interior consists of a maze of rooms and stairways.[4]

The most notable room within the castle is the Sala della Congiura, also known as the Conspiracy Hall. In 1160, some Norman barons met in this room to plot against William I of Sicily, but the rebellion failed.

Parts of the castle collapsed in an earthquake in 1923.[5]

The castle was inhabited by descendants of the Dukes of Caccamo until it was purchased by the Region of Sicily in October 1963. By this time, the castle was in ruins. Restoration work funded by the Region of Sicily began in 1974.[6]

Present day

Today, the castle is open to the public. A restaurant called A Castellana is located on the ground level of the castle,[7] while other parts of the structure are also used for conferences and meetings.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Pienta, Maryellen (20 February 2008). "The Castle of Caccamo". sicilianodyssey.blogspot.com. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Castles in Sicily". sicilyincoming.com. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Termini Imerese". Best of Sicily. April 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  4. ↑ Orlando, Andrea. "Castello Di Caccamo". iCastelli.it (in Italian). Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Il castello di Caccamo". Io amo la Sicilia (in Italian). 9 May 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Salone dei Duchi e dei Baroni". A Castellana (in Italian). Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "A Castellana". A Castellana (in Italian). Retrieved 16 May 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castello di Caccamo.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/28/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.