Calatubo Castle

Calatubo

The castle may have been in existence by 1093 when Count Roger Hauteville (d.1101) defined the boundary of Mazara diocese which included ‘Calatubo with all its dependencies'. By 1154 the district around the castle was being quarried for stone for mills. During the reign of Frederick II (1198-1250) the surrounding village was abandoned and the castle converted into a farm and was then modified again to house a wine making facility at the end of the nineteenth century. The castle was finally ruined in 1968 by an earthquake and subsequent treasure hunters who were digging to loot prehistoric burials.

Description
The castle is about 750' long by 110' wide on an east to west running limestone ridge in typical Byzantine fashion. Such ‘Byzantine' ‘battleship' sites are listed under Aci castle. The main portion of the site consists of the high crag running from east to west along the site, being no more than 30' wide at its maximum. On this the main castle was built - there still being traces of the internal south wall on the rock top amongst the later wine making buildings and traces of a Norman keep standing on the highest part of the crag. To the south of this is the larger outer ward lying on the lower cliff face.

The main defences lie to the west where the castle was easiest to approach. A single rectangular tower stands in the most exposed southwest corner guarding the approach road. Another to the northwest has partially collapsed, while between then lay a gate, now much widened, but originally protected by at least 2 crossbow loops. Before this lay a barbican with a possible rectangular tower to the northwest.

The remains of what appears to be another rectangular tower lies to the south, while a tower with a beaked spur stands in the northeast corner.

Why not join me here and at other Sicilian castles? Information on this and other tours can be found at Scholarly Sojourns.

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