Medieval Castle of Collesano

In the Metropolitan City of Palermo, there is a small town called Collesano, a village populated by almost 4 people where there are many attractions for tourists: if the Basilica of San Pietro, the Mother Church of Collesano, stands out in the distance characterizing the image of the town, the Medieval Castle of Collesano it is one of the oldest monuments in the area: it dates back to the XNUMXth century and, although today only the ruins remain, it is still possible to reconstruct its ancient beauty.

Built under the rule of the Normans, the castle was home to some of the most influential families in the area, from the Ventimiglias to the Moncadas, including the Aragonas: in the 1693th century, in fact, the fortress became a noble residence, but at the end of the following century the Medieval Castle of Collesano suffered heavy damage from the earthquake of 1819, which partially destroyed it. Later, it became an active prison until XNUMX, when another earthquake made it completely unusable. Towards the end of the century, with the proliferation of houses around the castle walls, it was born Bagherino, the first district of Collesano.

The architecture of the Medieval Castle of Collesano and what can be admired inside

Currently the Medieval Castle of Collesano is a site with the ruins of the manor, but originally the fortress it was a castle with a quadrangular plan, inside which there was a large courtyard. The four towers that protected the manor had walls two meters thick and one of these, the Northeast tower next to the main entrance to the Castle, it still stands today.

A feature of this ancient fortress is that it gave birth to the Bagherino district, providing with its ancient walls the perfect support for the development of private civil houses and more modern buildings, which have thus incorporated the ancient monument within the modern urban fabric.

What to do at the Collesano Medieval Castle and in the surrounding area

Taking a walk in the historic center of Collesano, you stroll through history: between paved streets and stone stairways, in the middle of the walls of the houses, you can glimpse real jewels of ancient architecture, such as the Saint Peter Basilica, which overlooks Corso Vittorio with its wonderful rose window. Continuing north, we arrive at the Medieval Castle of Collesano: here it is possible to make another interesting stop in the history of the town, going back to the ancient origins of the village. But the historic center of Collesano still has much more to offer its visitors, in fact in the eastern area of ​​the town there is the Black Fountain, while and West, not far from the Castle, there is the Church of Saints Sebastiano and Fabiano. Other sacred buildings in Collesano are the Church of St. James (from the XNUMXth century) and the Church of Santa Maria La Vecchia with the Madonna del Gagini, but also in the other churches of the town, you will find marvelous works of art such as the Crucifix by Fra Umile da Petralia, which is found in the Church of Santa Maria di Gesù.

In addition, in the center you can visit the Targa Florio Museum, the perfect destination for all four-wheel enthusiasts; among the other attractions of the country, we point out the Watchtower which became the bell tower of the Mother Church, the Town Hall and the eighteenth century Fatta-Del Bosco Palace.

If architecture and art are attractions visible to all in Collesano, don't forget to discover the town's most hidden treasures, namely those of the table, which can only be found in the best restaurants in the centre: ask here for ricotta meatballs with tomato sauce , prepared with ricotta cheese and very fresh eggs, flavored with cheese and dipped in breadcrumbs, or try the famous eggplant caponata, before tasting the delicious Sicilian cannoli.

From Collesano you can also reach other wonderful villages in the area, such as Scillato, Gratteri, Isnello and Sclafani Bagni, in the hinterland or Campofelice di Roccella and Cefalù, along the coast.

How is it possible to get to the Medieval Castle of Collesano

Collesano, in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, can be easily reached in the car, passing through the A19 Palermo-Catania, where you can take the exit for Scillato, which is about 8 km from the town; on the train, however, get off at Cefalù Station, 8 km from Collesano, where you can take the bus or shuttles to the centre.

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