Torre Rossa archaeological site in Fiumefreddo di Sicilia

Torre Rossa archaeological site in Fiumefreddo

Above a slightly sloping terrain where there is a citrus grove, stands the archaeological site of Torre Rossa, a testimony to the funerary architecture of the Roman era with a turriform. Although it is in a poor state of conservation, it is one of the few monuments of its kind found in Sicily.

History of the place

There is no documented information regarding the origins and history of the Red Tower although for some archaeologists the same is mentioned in a Norman document relating to the nearby concession church of San Giovanni from the bishop of Messina to the then Abbot.

However, this is only a hypothesis since the transfer document literally speaks of an ancient building known as in crisis which could also be the binnacle that was located near the Slave Castle.

In the feudal era, Torre Rossa was the name of a fiefdom and related settlement which were granted to various noble families. To have effective confirmation it is necessary to refer to the mention of a certain Philotheus of the Omodeans which in the eighteenth century speaks of Torrerossa as an ancient ruined brick tower.

What is certain was the accurate description he gave Jean Houel, at the end of the XNUMXth century during his second trip to Sicily to Fiumefreddo to measure the height of the volcano, who, noticing the tower, wrote that he was in the place formerly occupied by Naxos and of which he made several drawings including one of the Red Tower.

This testimony, subsequently confirmed by excavations which brought to light environments enriched by mosaics typical of a Roman villa, relating the tomb to a rich residence of a landowner, hypothesizing him as a citizen of Tauromenium.

Architecture and any works of art present

Torre Rossa has a parallelepiped base that is no longer regular due to continuous demolition work which has mainly affected its lower part and owes its name to the characterization of being a wall parameter made with terracotta bricks which, despite earthy deposits and encrustations daughters of time, has still maintained the original reddish patina.

The tower emerges on the side facing the coast to a height of about eight metres, but being aligned with the low terrace wall which currently houses a water channel, it appears even more buried on the other sides for about a metre.

On the downstream part, the significant destruction of the original masonry is partially compensated by the construction, datable to the seventeenth/eighteenth century of a particularly large wall which was intended to close the interior used by the farmers to store their tools and which obviously needed consolidation. In this wall there is an opening, certainly equipped with a door at the time, from which you can see a semi-underground room.

La northern part of the tower appears regular, having kept its construction well preserved and, in the lower part it is possible to see two steps which should belong to the ancient floor.

Il funerary shrine it is partially closed by a low wall which has a large breach and the crowning area shows a probable collapse.

The exterior highlights the precision with which the bricks were laid and you can see a certain style in the use of terracotta elements which were alternated by thickness to give movement to the structure. Even in the lower plinth, although largely ruined, it is possible to observe the care taken during the construction phase with the execution of moldings where specially beveled blocks were used.

Inside there is a square room with a floor that has collected material from collapses and infiltrations and on three walls there are rectangular arched niches which probably had the task of to house funeral vases or urns.
The last wall, without recesses, testifies to the presence of an access staircase where there are steep steps deteriorated by time that rise parallel to the southern side and covered by a series of small scalar vaults.

Through the construction technique, Torre Rossa can be placed between the XNUMXnd and XNUMXrd centuries AD also because after this period, the practice of cremation was abandoned.

What is possible to do in the surroundings or inside the place

There are many places where you can go on excursions in the surrounding area starting from nearby Riofreddo in Sicily, continuing to Taormina and Giardini Naxos or Etna and Catania.

How can you get to your destination

By car:
From the A18 Catania-Messina-Siracusa motorway, or from the A20 Palermo-Messina motorway, exiting the Fiumefreddo junction or passing through the Strada Statale 120.

On the train:
From Catania with a journey of approximately 30 minutes, from Messina with a journey of approximately 70 minutes you arrive at Fiumefreddo with direct regional trains

By plane:
Arrival at Catania Fontanarossa Airport, continue by public transport (Train, Bus, Taxi).

© Alessandro Lo Piccolo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons