Tripi Castle

Currently those who go to the village to visit the Tripi Castle won't find that few ruins since over time the structure has undergone controversial vicissitudes and has also experienced neglect and abandonment by the competent authorities. But the tripi castle history it is very fascinating because it is quite obscure and makes the visit to what remains of the fortification even more suggestive. Here, then, is all the information that can be useful for organizing a tour in this area of ​​Sicily province of Messina.

History of Tripi Castle

Unfortunately the historical documents that have come down to the modern era do not fully clarify the history of the castle of Tripi.
Given its structure and the position in which it is built, above a hill, it is thought that the castle of Tripi was a defensive structure, guarding the point where the Mazzarrà and Tallarita streams converge and with a perfect view of the stretch of the Tyrrhenian coast that extends from Tindari to Milazzo.
Some documents dating back to the XNUMXth century, written by Edrisi, a geographer of Arab origins, speak of Tarbilis, the original name of Tripi, as a beautiful and spacious fortress.
Other fourteenth-century sources, on the other hand, speak of Tripi as a castrum, testifying that the fortification was already present at the time. Finally, it is known that in about 1300 the castle of Tripi already had the current conformation and was the stage of numerous war events including the stay of Frederick II and that ofAdmiral Roger of Lauria. Unfortunately, however, some texts dating back to the eighteenth century already speak of the castle of Tripi as a place in ruins.

The architecture and any works of art present in the castle of Tripi

Little has remained of the castle of Tripi, today in a total state of abandonment, however thanks to the work of the experts it is possible to have a fairly precise reconstruction of its dimensions in the period of maximum splendour.

Its floor plan is irregular trapezoidal and develops around a courtyard, while outside there was a walls turrita of which few remains still remain today, however it is clear from the finds that it was decorated with a crenellation motif. At the highest point of the castle, which is located in the southern area, there was certainly one sighting tower which had a rectangular plan while on the east side the traces of a square-shaped bastion are still visible. The walls were built with local stone and sandstone, all cemented with mortar.

What you can do around Tripi Castle

Those arriving in the village for a visit to the castle of Tripi will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to discover other local beauties that deserve a more in-depth look. Certainly one of the places of greatest interest is the Santi Furnari Archaeological Museum within which there are many finds from the excavations of the city of Abakainon, which is a Roman-era city located in the immediate vicinity.
La cave of San Cono, on the other hand, is a place of interest above all for the faithful since the saint stayed there during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. From the point of view of religious architecture, the Church of the Immaculate Conception of Tripi, which was built in 1600; there Church of San Vincenzo Martire, built at the end of the 1700s; finally the remains of the medieval church of Sant'Anna.

How is it possible to get to Tripi

Those who wish to arrive in the village to visit the castle of Tripi can do so by car starting from the main cities of Sicily. From Catania it is possible to take the A18 or the A20 and continue on the E90, the latter alternative is the same to choose for those coming from Messina and Palermo. Those coming from Syracuse, on the other hand, will have to follow the signs for the E45 or the Ss185.

The village of Tripi does not have its own railway station, however who wants to travel on the train you can refer to the Falcone, Oliveri-Tindari or Novara-Montalbano-Furnari stations and then continue to your destination with the local bus lines made available by the AST company.