Caltabellotta Castle

Those who decide to organize a holiday in Sicily cannot fail to include a tour at Caltabellotta Castle, a small medieval jewel which is over a thousand meters high and which served as a fortified post to be able to protect the population from Saracen raids. Today unfortunately it is not well preserved but what remains is still able to fascinate the visitor.
Here, then, is all you need to know to organize a visit to the Castle of Caltabellotta, also mentioned in Boccaccio's Decameron.

The history of the Castle of Caltabellotta

Caltabellotta Castle was built by the Normans in 1090 approximately, on a previous fortress of Arab origin. Its position, placed at almost a thousand meters in height, allowed the occupants of the structure to be able to directly see the castles of the surrounding areas, such as that of Gristia or Poggiodiana, so as to promptly communicate the presence of hostile troops.

The fortress is also known by the name of Castle of Queen Sibilla. The name derives from an event dating back to 1194 when the death of King Tancredi forced the woman to take refuge here with her children, to protect the heir to the throne William III from the arrival of Henry VI, intent on eliminating him to take possession of the Kingdom of Sicily.

In 1302, however, the Peace of Caltabellotta between Frederick II of Aragon and his contender Charles of Valois, after the long and bloody War of the Vespers. In 1337 the castle passed into the hands of Raimondo Peralta at the behest of King Peter II.
From that moment on, the Castle of Caltabellotta was transferred from hand to hand, becoming part of the possessions first of the Luna family and then of Antonio Alvares Toledo, Duke of Bivona.

The architecture and any works of art present in the Castle of Caltabellotta

Today there is not much left of the Castle of Caltabellotta, however drawings of the time and historical reconstructions allow us to have a precise idea of ​​its architecture. First of all, to access the castle it was necessary to go through one staircase carved into the stonestill visible today.
The floor plan of the castle wound in one direction circular around the hill on which the structure was placed, for a typically defensive position. Today, unfortunately, all that remains of the castle are the foundations of some rooms, an intact wall and the entrance portal, surmounted by a pointed arch.

Since it is a residence that has also hosted rulers over time, it is not surprising that some testimonies of the time spoke of the interiors of the castle as rooms richly decorated and worthy of the best nobility.

What you can do in the surroundings or inside the Castle of Caltabellotta

A trip to Caltabellotta to visit the castle can be an excellent excuse to visit other places of great interest that are located in the surroundings of this village in the province of Agrigento. For example, a visit to the Mother Church, whose construction was commissioned by Ruggero D'Altavilla to thank God for helping him to win an important battle against the Muslims: its decentralized position is linked precisely to the fact that it was founded on the place where the battle raged.

An attraction that will conquer both young and old is the civic Museum which houses works by artists who were born in Caltabellotta or who have been passing through here or for a long time, including those of the sculptor Salvatore Rizzuti who was born in this village and still lives. It is also possible to visit his workshop, which houses finished works and those in progress.

How is it possible to get to Caltabellotta

To get to Caltabellotta and visit the castle, it is necessary from Palermo and Trapani take the A29 and then continue on SS386 or on SS115. Those coming from Catania, on the other hand, will use theA19 to then continue with the previous state roads.

Caltabellotta is also affected by a local bus service, provided by the company ATS while as far as trains are concerned, it does not have its own station but you can reach the closest one in Castelvetrano and then continue from there with the bus service.