Gallego Castle in Sant'Agata di Militello

One of the most representative monuments of Sant'Agata di Militello is certainly the Galician Castle, the residence that was created by the princes of Gallego to be able to dominate over their possessions. The current appearance of the castle is the result of centuries of work which often incorporated pre-existing buildings within it.
Furthermore, the structure has also undergone profound renovations over time which have contributed to making it what visitors from all over the world know well today, given that every year the VCastello Gallego dei Principi di Sant'Agata di Militello is the object of the attention of thousands of visitors.

Here, then, is everything you need to know to better organize your trip to the castle.

History of the Gallego Castle of the Princes of Sant'Agata di Militello

The history of the Gallego Castle of the Princes of Sant'Agata di Militello is very ancient because, as can be deduced from a careful study of its current conformation, in reality the castle is the result of successive additions that took place over the course of time.

The castle is located on the seafront of the town and its oldest part, namely one, is clearly visible circular tower dating back to the Aragonese era, to which a second was added in the 1628th century, as envisaged by the project by Camillo Camilliani, the architect in charge of the works. Its current form, however, is due to a subsequent modification that was carried out in XNUMX when Luigi Gallego, at the time prince of Militello, decided to expand the walls and transform what was a defensive castle into his main residence.

In 1821, however, after a series of unhappy vicissitudes, the castle was bought by the Prince Lanza of Trabia who wants to transform it into his summer residence. From that moment on, the castle passed from hand to hand and with different uses, until it was completely abandoned in decay.

In 1991 it was therefore the Municipality of Sant'Agata di Militello that bought it and invested in its partial restructuring. Today the castle is venue for cultural events, guided tours and tourist events but a part is still closed to the public and awaiting further restructuring.

The architecture and any works of art present in the Gallego Castle of Sant'Agata di Militello

From an architectural point of view, Castello Gallego has a typical linear defensive structure, even if the numerous reinterpretations over time have allowed its lines to soften somewhat. Currently the entrance arch is the main passage to enter the castle but once there was a drawbridge and a moat which have been removed over the centuries.

The entrance leads to a square-shaped courtyard which has a pool of water in the centre: the ground floor of the castle opens onto this space, where you can admire the rooms of the guards and those of the servants, the stables, the storage for the carriages as well as the prisons given that the Gallego prince was granted by the king the privilege of autonomously administering the justice of his territories.

A spiral staircase then leads to the main floor, where there are the ballrooms, the lodgings of the prince and his family, the offices, the roof garden but also the kitchens. Many rooms have balconies facing inwards while the rooms facing outwards have slots reserved for armed guards for the defense of the castle.

What you can do around or inside the Gallego Castle of Sant'Agata di Militello

Currently, after an impressive restructuring phase under the guidance of Ing. Contiguglia and on a project by the Arch. Zingales, the Gallego Castle of the Princes of Sant'Agata di Militello can be visited with an authorized guide by all those who want to discover more closely the life of a noble court of the seventeenth century. In addition to this, however, the structure today has a typically cultural vocation, for which numerous events of different kinds are organized inside. In the stables, for example, there are often temporary exhibitions of painting or photography that have different themes.

The castle, however, is the location also of some events that are included in the calendar of Food Festival, especially for culinary workshops and cooking shows. Finally, every year an event dedicated to fashion is also organized inside it, to highlight the emerging stylists of the area.

How to get to Sant'Agata di Militello

Reaching Sant'Agata di Militello to visit the Gallego Castle of the Princes of Sant'Agata di Militello is very simple because the locality is really well connected. Indeed by car, it is sufficient to take the A20 motorway from both Messina and Palermo, the toll booth of reference is in both cases that of Sant'Agata di Militello.

Those who prefer the train as a means of getting around, you can leave from Messina with one of the regional lines which stops right in the Sant'Agata station. Finally, the town is also served by a transport service bus numbers offered by the Etna transport company.