Castle of Frederick II in Giuliana

In Italy, thanks to its history that dates back centuries and centuries ago, there are countless manors, fortresses and castles, from the north to the south of the country. Some are monumental and excellently preserved, while others are little more than ruins: in any case they all emanate a mysterious and fascinating aura that no one can resist. Sicily is no exception and the Juliana Castle is a clear demonstration of this: it is also called Eagle's Nest and to some it will remind the Arryn fortress in the Game of Thrones saga. In fact it rises up a rocky outcrop 736 m high overlooking the valley of the river Sosio, and was located right on the ancient road that connected Sciacca to Corleone.

History of the Castle of Giuliana

There are doubts about who actually ordered the construction of the Castle of Giuliana: some think it was Frederick II of Aragon, while others want it to be a creature of Frederick II of Swabia. In the latter case, the castle would rank as one of the Federician ones present in Sicily, together with those of Calatrasi, Betellaro, Calatamauro, Prizzi and Caltabellotta.
It is known for certain that Guglielmo Peralta, the De Lunas and then the Cadornas followed one another in the government of the Castle: the latter family will have among its members Alfonso II, who later became, by will of Charles V, the Marquis of Giuliana.
Without a doubt, one of the characters most closely linked to the fortress Eleanor of Aragon, Peralta's wife, died here in 1405. Una legend tells that his ghost still haunts the Castle, guarding a hidden treasure. It is said that only those who travel the road between the manor and Cuba seven times, without ever letting a candle go out, will be able to find this legendary wealth.

The architecture of the Castle of Giuliana

The Giuliana Castle has a curious trapezoidal shape and represents a small jewel of medieval architecture in Sicily.
It is made up of two complexes: the first is placed higher up and is rectangular, while the second has a semicircular shape, tracing the ancient walls of an old Olivetan monastery built in the 500th century (which became a prison in the 19th century). Both complexes meet at a soaring pentagonal tower (an exception in Sicily together with the Castle of Augusta) almost 2 m high: this building has walls that are almost XNUMX m thick and the variety of materials used (from white limestone, tuff, sandstone) almost act as an ornamental frame for the loopholes and windows that punctuate it.
A portal with segmental arch allows entry into a small court and then in the castle classrooms, among which the Hall and a room with a hole in the floor, probably used to store food supplies, stand out.
Going up an external staircase you can then reach the terraces, from which you can enjoy a magnificent view of the village below, the distant coast and the Sosio valley.

The surroundings of the Castle of Giuliana

Il village of Giuliana falls within the "Monte Genuardo Oriented Nature Reserve", which includes the beautiful Abbey of Santa Maria del Bosco, literally immersed in a forest of ancient oaks. then there is theSant'Anna Ecopark, the perfect place for hiking in the most luxuriant and unspoiled nature, before reaching the historic center of Giuliana.

There are many churches in the town, starting from Church of the Most Holy Crucifix, inside which, among the stuccoes by Curti da Castelvetrano, the Simulacrum of the Most Holy Crucifix carried in procession stands out.
The sixteenth-century alabaster sculpture depicting the Our Lady of the Audience, preserved in the namesake santuario in Piazza della Repubblica, without forgetting the Virgin with Child from the school of the great master Gangi, preserved in the Church of the College of Mary. Also worth a visit Mother Church, built on the remains of the cathedral wanted by Federico II, of which remains a beautiful baptismal font dating back to the 500th century.

How to get to Giuliana

To reach Giuliana and her Castle, you have to start from Palermo and take the SS264, then passing on the SP70 and then on the SS188, in the direction of Sambuca di Sicilia. Then continue on the same state road until you reach Giuliana.

© Image by David Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0- David Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons