Castle of Tusa

Castle of Tusa, fraction of Tusa, is a folkloristic fishing village characterized by beaches well-groomed that have conquered the Blue Flag for the clarity of the sea. It is an ideal place for all those looking to experience a relaxing holiday but also enriched by cultural aspects.

The history of Castel di Tusa

To know the history of Castel di Tusa it is necessary to refer to that of Tusa which was founded in late ancient times as a hamlet of the village of Alesa which, in the XNUMXth century, took its place as a territorial reference point. The Arab rulers called the village with the name of Alesa at-tusah or Alesa the new but with the arrival of the Normans, Tusa became state property and managed by a stratigoth appointed by the King. A description dating back to the XNUMXth century illustrates the place as a fortress and a village located on the top of a solitary hill which can only be reached by following rough and almost impassable paths but its territory is ideal for cultivating everything.

Towards the middle of the thirteenth century, Frederick II granted it as a fief to the Ventimiglia family, counts of Gerace who ruled it until the end of the seventeenth century. Between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Tusa saw a significant economic and social development which is visible within its churches through the artistic heritage still preserved and of which the Li Volsi workshop - artists and wood carvers - were the main interpreters. Until the XNUMXth century, the village maintained the role of being an interesting crossroads of trade by sea towards Enna and then continued to be so for the Aeolian Islands unlike the present where maritime activities are limited only to fishing.

Architecture of Castel di Tusa

The small village of Castel di Tusa extends along its seafront for approximately nine kilometres. In the upper part of the town there is the historic center which rests on a plateau where there is an ancient fortress overlooking the sea.

This is the Castle of San Giorgio which rises on the rocky ridge from which you can admire the view below small port of Marina di Tusa. The manor dates back to the thirteenth century and was commissioned by the then Ventimiglia feudal lords to defend their territory. Castel San Giorgio was described in the eighteenth century as a fortress full of cannons from which it was possible to inspect the stretch of coastline below.

Going to Castel di Tusa you cannot miss visiting theAtelier on the Sea which is located on the Lampare beach. It is a hotel built in the early nineties by the artist and patron Antonio Presti who had each room designed and furnished by an internationally renowned artist. Today it is home to the Fiumara d'Arte Foundation, a true open-air museum which is hosted by a dry river that descended from the Nebrodi to the sea and which today is a scenic location for sculptures and installations exhibited by contemporary artists.

What is possible to do in the surroundings of Castel di Tusa

In the surroundings of Castel di Tusa it is possible to visit theHalaesa Arconidea Archaeological Area, reachable from the SP 177.
The remains are not far from the sea, on a hill overlooking the mouth of the Tusa river, a few kilometers from Castel di Tusa. The entrance to the area can be reached by passing the small road that leads to the former Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria delle Palate. The area was explored several times during the XNUMXs and the excavations brought to light a part of the city walls, a section of the main decumanus and some remains of the urban fabric which suggest the characteristic Hellenist configuration with a regular mesh layout dating back to XNUMXth century BC The decumanus consisted of a straight road about six meters wide and formed with regular square-shaped stones placed in a checkerboard pattern, which led to the main entrance of the agora. Obviously along this entire axis there are the intersection of numerous side streets which, in the steepest parts, transform into real steps.

The agora, the true hub of the town, is located between the acropolis and the town in the northern part of the hill overlooking the sea and was paved with terracotta bricks and protected by some porticoes. In the center you can see the bases of statues while in the eastern part there was a construction from the Hellenistic period. On the top of the hill there are the remains of a temple attributed to Apollo but this part of the excavations is not yet accessible to the public.

We underlined the fact that the sea in Castel di Tusa is so clean that it has earned the Blue Flag. The coastline is mainly made up of pebbles which make the waters stand out even more. There Lampare beach, the best known in the town, is located in the eastern part of the village while the Marina beach remains in a more central position. Both are free beaches.

How is it possible to get to Castel di Tusa

Castel di Tusa is part of the province of Messina on the north coast of Sicily and is 139 km away from the provincial capital and 90 km from Palermo.
To arrive by car you need to take the A20 Messina-Palermo motorway, exiting at Tusa.

© Image by David Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0 - Davide Restivo from Lenzburg, Aarau, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons