Slave Castle in Fiumefreddo of Sicily

Castle of the slaves in Fiumefreddo

A jewel in eighteenth-century Sicilian rural baroque style, the Castello degli Schiavi is located on via Marina which was once called via Mulinelli, the road that reaches from the town of Fiumefreddo di Sicilia Marina di Cottone.

Today it is used as a splendid location to host weddings and events, but it is famous in the world because it has frequently been used as a film set as in some of the main scenes of The Godfather.

History of the Slave Castle in Fiumefreddo

The current name seems to come from an ancient legend that dates back to a couple of centuries ago when a doctor, such Palmieri, saved the son of Prince of Palagonia from certain death and that the latter, out of gratitude, gave him a part of his fiefdom in Fiumefreddo.

The doctor had a fortified villa built for him to live in since his wife loved that place. But the wife Rosalia, he also had another reason to appreciate his new home: he was flirting with a guy from Taormina, In Corvaja.

One day the Turkish pirate ships arrived and turned the area upside down, reaching the Castle where they kidnapped the doctor and his wife but were joined by some men led by Corvaja who made the pirates flee, freeing the two hostages.

To thank the Lord for having escaped danger, Palmieri had a small church built next to the castle, in honor of the Our Lady of the Sacred Letter and a loggia was also built where he had two statues placed depicting the Turks who appear to be looking at the sea waiting to be freed by their companions. For this reason the Castle he was nicknamed of the Slaves.

Architecture and any works of art present in the Castello degli Schiavi in ​​Fiumefreddo

The Castle stands surrounded by the thick citrus groves that characterize the Taormina Riviera and is located near the natural reserve of Fiumefreddo and Taormina.

At sight, the Castle appears slightly inclined and it is hypothesized that this perspective game was chosen to highlight its beautiful decorations. It has a well-kept garden equipped with its own well and the scenery that can be admired is decidedly suggestive.

The main building consists of two levels of which the lower one was dedicated to the conservation of agricultural products while the upper one was reserved for the owners as a residence.

On the ground floor there is a tall door in the center which is framed by lava stone ornaments with a light at its top. The portal is embellished with an ornament depicting the face of a Saracen surmounted by a typical shell as was used in Baroque of the period. The characteristic of the arch is that it rests on two fake brackets which appear to support the lateral parts and the whole alternates flat rectangles with others having a pyramid with an atypically raised vertex.

The upper floor, on the other hand, is characterized by a central balcony with rounded railing, illuminated by three elegant lamps that illuminate the door which also has a lava stone edge where various masks are affixed and two large windows open on its sides.

In the corners on the upper floor there are some faceted turrets closed at the bottom and top with loopholes on each side, for which the building took the name of Castle.

The loggia that rises on top of the building is truly imposing and located in a junction area of ​​the sloping parts of the roof. The loggia has three large arched passages on both the eastern and western sides and two other openings from where the statues of the two Moors can be seen.

Obviously there are substantial differences between the ground floor and the upper floor where there are eight large rooms still furnished with period objects and furniture which highlight the quality of life of its inhabitants such as the coat of arms in leather gold of Gravina's Spain, the flag of the Savoy, precious and unobtainable valuable books, elegant nineteenth-century furniture and various paintings.

What you can do around or inside the Castello degli Schiavi in ​​Fiumefreddo

Nature lovers simply cannot miss exploring the Fiumefreddo di Sicilia nature reserve, while lovers of culture, history and architecture can turn their attention to nearby Taormina, an ancient town of Greek origin, full of important archaeological remains.

The neighbor Giardini Naxos, Gorges of Alcantara and the wonderful sea, are other elements that are the reason for stimulating excursions in the area.

How is it possible to get to the Slave Castle in Fiumefreddo

By car:
Messina-Catania motorway (A18) exit Fiumefreddo di Sicilia. Follow the signs towards the sea on SP71i. The Castle is located two kilometers from Marina di Cottone.

By train
from Catania train to Messina Fiumefreddo stop

It is possible to visit the castle by booking or organized tours. The castle is private property.

© Andrei Antipin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons