Rufo Ruffo Castle, Scaletta Superiore, Italy

The Rufo Ruffo Castle of Zanclea can easily be seen from the surrounding area. This fortress was built on top of a precipitous hill surrounded by green valleys from where you can overlook out on the sea. There was no architectural design planned therefore the castle was built with limestone rocks arranged in no rigorous way and solely based on the geographical locatio making it a challenge.

The castle was built in the second half of the 13th century by Frederick II as most castles in this area. Lived in by the king himself, then the beautiful explorer and warrior Macalda, the Emperoro Carl V, King Vittorio and mani more till it reached the last owner Antonio Rufo Ruffo, a great art collector of the time.

Inside the Rufo Ruffo Castle of Zanclea there are several objects from some museums of Messina. In particular there are paper documents related to the surrounding territory and the historical information of the castle and the noble families that lived there. The religious medals and medallions as well as the armour collections and marble objects are just a few of the things you can still see in this castle.

References:

sicily.co.uk

User Reviews

Otiv (11 months ago)
I found it closed (Saturday 12pm) and honestly I didn't understand where the main entrance was, I saw several gates but they were closed. I followed the driveway to the summit where I found a parking lot. Externally it looks nice and with a nice view

Anna Monforte (14 months ago)
It was nice. There are many stairs and the road is smooth.

Sergio Gallitto (2 years ago)
Beautiful castle, interesting and rich in history, which houses a small museum of antiquities and curiosities also on the Ruffo family. From its ramparts and walls, you can admire enchanting views of the Sicilian Ionian coast, both to the north and to the south. The two employees were competent and courteous: the discussion that ensued was pleasant and Carmen's story about Macalda di Scaletta, a historical character who lived in the XIII century, was in many ways singular. The castle is worth a visit: about an hour of relaxing visit to a suggestive place.

Iva Simonová (2 years ago)
4. 9. 2021 (delayed review). The way to the castle is difficult to find, below the castle we had to ask how to continue. The castle is impressive and we were shown around by two lovely people. Just the stuffed heads of animals are quite disgusting, but once upon a time animals were butchered for such purposes - hunting trophies. In the CZE, we have many castles and chateaux full of such brutal trophies. The exterior and surroundings of the castle are more worth it. More youtube travel video PSIS-visit. Iva +Petr CZE Prague

Andrea Frigione (3 years ago)
I had already visited the Rufo Ruffo castle years ago, today I returned with friends. Mrs. Carmen was there to welcome us at the ticket office. Very kind and prepared, even if she did not have the "obligation" to be our guide, she explained the fascinating history of the castle in detail, going into detail and describing everything we would find inside the rooms. Beautiful experience, I highly recommend to come and visit this castle / fortress to say the least amazing. Many congratulations for the love he puts into his work to Mrs. Carmen ❤️

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