Arab Fortress in Santa Elisabetta

The municipality of St. Elizabeth is one of the best testimonials on Arab domination in Sicily, offering you the opportunity to visit numerous places capable of telling you not only about History of Saint Elizabeth but also the history of Sicily itself, crossing fields of historic battles and places of great prestige.

Among these, during your vacation in Sicily, you certainly won't be able to miss it Arab Fortress of Saint Elizabeth, located on the Mount Guastanella, to the point that it is also known as Arab fortress of Guastanella.

History of the Arab Fortress in Santa Elisabetta

The origins of the Arab Fortress of Guastanella can be traced back to the first decades of the IX century, the same ones in which several conflicts occurred, right on Sicilian soil, between the Byzantines and the Arabs, who were fighting to gain the upper hand on the island, thanks to its strategic position for commercial purposes with Mediterranean.

La Guastanella Fortress, therefore, it was built to monitor the entire area below, being able to spot offensive advances even at considerable distances. Historians think that there was already an ancient one in the same spot Punic castle, which served as the basis for erecting the new one.
After having been under Arab control for a long time, it is reported that in 1086 the Arab Fortress of Saint Elizabeth was conquered by Count Ruggero, putting an end to Arab domination in the territory of Guastanella.

From that moment on, control of the castle passed from hand to hand to the various feudal lords who alternated over time, even reaching, during the Quattrocento, under the management of the feudal lords of Cammarata.

Architecture of the Arab Fortress in Santa Elisabetta

For a purely strategic question, the Arab Fortress in Santa Elisabetta is located on the top of Mount Guastanella, approximately 600 meters above sea level. In fact, by reaching the castle you will be able to admire the splendid views of the surrounding area, as well as appreciate the style of the building itself.

The Arab Fortress appears as an imposing rock structure. The entire building was created by digging directly into the rock, at its top, creating holes underground fascinating and well cared for, to the point that they have reached the present day in an excellent state of preservation.
The place has been treated with such care that it still shows it today with all the characteristics of its era, to the point that everything around it, from the paths to the fences, has been set up adopting the ancient style in which it was conceived.

You will be able to access the Arab Castle of Santa Elisabetta from various openings, so as to enter its rooms which show peculiarities capable of perfectly mixing the byzantine culture with the Arab one.

How to get to the Arab Fortress in Santa Elisabetta

The Arab Fortress is about 8 km from the urban center of Santa Elisabetta, easily accessible by crossing the Provincial Road 17, which along with the Provincial Road 19 and Highway 118 they represent the main routes serving the town. These are also crossed by the numerous daily bus services of Azienda Siciliana Trasporti AST, which connect the whole of the area very well. Sicilia.

You can also arrive by train, thanks to the Aragona Caldare railway station, about 10 km away, while if you are forced to travel by plane you can always land at Palermo's Falcone e Borsellino Airport, about 120 km away.
Further connections are available by first reaching the widely served city of Agrigento, which is just 20 km from Santa Elisabetta.