The city of Enna was, in antiquity, among the safest in all of Sicily, thanks also to its geographical position which sees it placed between some mountains which, in the past, were not easy to climb, above all by the numerous soldiers who made up the armies of the enemies, who found themselves in great difficulty in carrying out offensive advances towards Enna.
The geography of Enna has always played an important role in the defensive system local, especially the 3 mountains surrounding the city, above which particular structures are placed, largely still visible today, which fortified Enna's defenses even more. Of this ancient defensive network it is still possible to admire many of its details, gods archaeological sites of great historical and cultural value, on which researchers have based themselves for the reconstruction of the city's history.
Castle of Lombardy in Enna
Il Castle of Lombardy it is certainly the symbol of the city of Enna, the monument that most of all is able to tell the story and the importance this Sicilian town has enjoyed over time. The Castello di Lombardia, so called because it housed, in its time, the Lombard Guard, It is between medieval castles largest in Italy, thanks to its large surface that extends over 26000 m2. During the Middle Ages, the Castle of Lombardy was judged among the most impassable ever, both for its position and for the perfect defensive system it was equipped with, with thick walls that still resist today in perfect condition. This monumental building included no less than 20 lathes along its perimeter, many of which have survived to the present day, in which the Pisan tower, the largest and among all.
Rocca di Cerere in Enna
La Rocca of Cerere it is among the most representative places of the city of Enna. This is where the ancient once stood temple of Ceres, the deity venerated until the advent of Christianity, given that there was popular belief that attributed his birth to this very city. The Rocca di Cerere was also mentioned by the same Cicerone in his texts, in which he described it as a majestic place where one of the most scenic temples of the time was located, of which, however, not much remains today, except some of its parts, to which are added the numerous finds brought to light from various Archaeological excavations made in this place over time.
Octagonal Tower in Enna
La Octagonal Tower of Enna, also known as Tower of Frederick II, is one of the main medieval symbols in the city of Enna, which with this monument manages to express a rich slice of its glorious history. There are several doubts about the origins of the Octagonal Tower, as it would be attributable to Frederick II of Swabia, although the architectural style and the documents present in the municipal archive could lead to other theses, given that the historian King of Sicily he did not usually build octagonal buildings and when he went to Enna he stayed in the more renowned Castello di Lombardia. According to what is said, the Octagonal Tower could be a much older structure, even built by the Sicilians.
Among its probable uses, the Octagonal Tower, as well as a defensive structure, may also have been a ancient astronomical observatory, whose main activities would have taken place on the second floor, of which very little remains to be able to effectively ascertain the thesis.
© Image by Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
