Buscemi Castle

I ruins of the Requisenz Castle in Buscemi they are located in the heart of Sicily, within the free municipal consortium of Syracuse. The ancient building contains a history steeped in legend and is a fortress that dates back a long way. Here are the salient features of a highly suggestive place.

The history of Buscemi Castle

Buscemi Castle, called Requisenz, can boast a very ancient history. It rises within the Buscemi city, which in various historical documents was mentioned as Oppidum, that is, a fortress surrounded by walls and protected by a castle. The first attestation of the building dates back to 1355, given that it was built during the XNUMXth century. It is thought that it was built on the basis of pre-existing structures of other houses, most likely commissioned by the lords of Pantelleria, namely Guglielmo Ventimiglia and Bernardo Requisenz.

Following a terrible earthquake dating back to 1693, the two families who lived in the castle were forced to leave it to move towards a safer place, at the current Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Buscemi Castle became the home of a Capuchin convent.
In the following decades, work was done to ensure that the structure became a monastic place, with works completed in 1765. After a short period in which it was used as a cemetery and following its abandonment by the Capuchins, today only its ruins remain.

The architecture of Requisenz Castle

As previously mentioned, the Requisenz Castle in Buscemi is located in the province of Syracuse and today only its ruins remain. The latter are located on the edge of an elevated hill, whose strategic position was chosen in order to keep the territory under control. It is likely that this structure originally had a polygonal base with two lateral towers. Currently, it is only possible to view i remains in white stone with which the structure was erected. Around the ruins, the scenery includes lots of vegetation. On the stone, you can still see the heraldic shield that marks theancient house of Ventimiglia-Requisenz.

What is possible to do in Buscemi and surrounding areas

The town of Buscemi offers numerous opportunities to anyone who wants to visit the famous Castle. Those who love archeology can go to the Monte Casale and admire the site of ancient Casmene, colony of Greek origin. It was founded by the Syracusans in 644 BC and offers the remains of an extraordinary civilisation, with ancient homes and the famous necropolis.

At the same time, those who go to the castle of Buscemi can head just 45 kilometers from Ragusa and 50 from Syracuse, with many points of interest to discover. Returning to the city center, here is the characteristic Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the most important in the area. Not to be missed are the religious buildings of San Giacomo, Sant'Antonio da Padova and San Sebastiano Martire.

How to reach the town of Buscemi

To go to the town of Buscemi by car, just travel along the Catania - Siracusa motorway and exit at Priolo Gargallo, then travel 26 kilometers from the centre. A valid alternative is the Melilli exit of the A18.
By train, you need to reach the stations of Ragusa and Siracusa, 23 and 35 kilometers from the town respectively. The closest airport is Catania, which is about 45 kilometers from Buscemi.