Pietratagliata Castle, Aidone, Italy

The castle of Gresti or Pietratagliata is located near the village of Aidone. Its current condition is that of ruin even if well legible in the forms that are composed mainly of a mighty tower full and a series of rooms ingrottate. The first historical news documented dating back to the 14th century. The castle stands on a high rocky ridge of sandstone. The central part, the spur higher, has been used by man for its strategic position as a control station and defense. In fact the castle constitutes an outpost or a fortress of sighting for the control of a vast territory, connoted by important streets of communications which from the eastern coast is addentravano toward the center of Sicily dominated by settlements which Morgantina, Enna, Agira.

The structure extends over four levels: on the first level, which is also the oldest to be found in the rural houses and a large cave which opens with a loggia south and with a window and loggia and north. At the second level from which also begins the tower full and part the scale dug in the rock, there are two local: an input and a room with window delimited by benches in masonry. At the third level, the second floor where you find the environments 'noble' representation, there are four rooms dug in the rock and other in masonry. The fourth level is present an environment with entrance portal which would suggest a chapel and a cistern to collect rainwater. A mention deserves the high tower full, firmly anchored to the rock, visible at large distances. Has walls from compact surfaces, underlined by sharp built in blocks of stone perfectly squared; access to the terrace of the tower was allowed by a beautiful spiral staircase, with steps of basalt, placed in the corner of the south-east.

For the structure and for some particular aspects, the castle may not have had the function of an aristocratic residence, but was certainly a fortress of sighting within the valley of Gornalunga that, from the earliest times, has made a connection between the Ionic coast and the interior. The presence of numerous castles like (some today recognizable only by the toponymy) suggests plausible to assume that the castle had inserted inside a network of optical signals, defined anciently fani or fires, which allowed to rapidly transmit a signal even at a great distance.

References:

e-borghi.com

User Reviews

Giuseppe Pensavalle (2 years ago)
It's an enchanting place.. magical! They are ruins, so don't expect to find anything other than a poorly preserved ruin! But the place, the view, are suggestive! It is advisable to follow the directions on Google maps starting from Aidone. Most of the road is paved, the last km are compact dirt. It can also be traveled with a small car, the important thing is that you don't go there after the rains! There the mud is no joke.

P F Henningsen (3 years ago)
The access from Aidone is ok for Enduro motorcycles. 5 km paved, 2 km gravel. Transit officially forbidden, but works. The ruin itself is small but impressive. You can go into the rock cave, really exciting. An experience not to be missed.

Dario Scarfì (Dario_s) (3 years ago)
An incredibly suggestive place but the way to get there is a pretty good motorcyclist. At the end you can enjoy a beautiful panorama

Giuseppe Fondrisi (3 years ago)
Quite suggestive place and the landscape around and the view are very beautiful. definitely worth visiting. It could hold up better. You can also get there by car, but using the road that comes from Aidone (The one that comes from Valguarnera is not feasible except with an off-road vehicle)

Biagio Corallo (4 years ago)
Visited by motorbike, surreal and magical place. But the road is not paved, if you do not have a suitable bike you seriously risk doing damage. There are two possible routes, coming from the north or the south, I did both, I came from the north, and it was quite a bit challenging to go in two and with ballast in tow.

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