Montalbano Elicona Castle, Montalbano Elicona, Italy

The Montalbano Elicona Castle is considered as one of the most beautiful monuments in Sicily. It was built in the 12th century by the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II on pre-existing byzantine and Arab walls. The intent of Frederick II was to provide Sicily a series of strong defensive buildings around the island. The well preserved extensive walls of the castle are easily seen throughout the town. From on top of the Valley the King could control the whole area and the nearby Nebrodi Mountains.

The small medieval winding roads lead up to this charming castle that was home to many kings and nobles like Luis King of Sicily and Frederick the Simple. The ongoing restoration work in progress closes up some areas of this site but it is still well worth a visit. Interesting are the rooms with armours on display and the small museum with musical instruments. The Royal Chapel of the Byzantine era is truly impressive! Apparently Arnaldo da Villanova was buried here, a famous character connected to this castle who died in 1313 in genoa and was a doctor, alchemist and a religious writer of great influence in the european courts.

References:

sicily.co.uk

User Reviews

Ondřej Jakubčík (10 months ago)
Very charming town with medieval atmosphere. You can stroll on the cobbled streets and visit a nice castle. The exposition is interesting and there is a tower with picturesque views

Leonardo Riccioli (3 years ago)
Super

Édona Shark (3 years ago)
Very nice little castle! Swords and a mignificient armor inside, panoramic view on the medieval city outside. And only 3€'!

eric crossley (3 years ago)
Nice and well maintained

Chris Smith (4 years ago)
Cool weapons and armor in the castle and a great view from the top.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Following Hadrian

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.

Montalbano Elicona Castle

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople