Castel di Lucio
The castle is first mentioned in the period
1308-10 when it was Castellutium.
However the current remains suggest that it is much older than
that. Much earlier in 836, the Arabs captured and lost a site called Qastaliasali, which just might be Castel di Lucio or Castelluccio at Gela in the south. By 1322 the fortress was within the lands of Count
Francesco Ventimiglia of Geraci (d.1338). It remained under
their county and took part in the rebellion against King Peter in
1336. The castle appeared still operational in 1408.
Description
The castle overlooks the village of the same name, occupying the summit
of a 1,150' high hill. The roughly 100' square site is
protected by cliffs to north and west. At the southwest and southeast angles
are the remains of large round towers, which had a rectangular building
between them. The structure may have made a castle similar to
those of Milazzio, as well as Nunney in Somerset, England, and Carlow and Ferns in Ireland, if
there were 4 round angle towers in all. A survey of 1981
however, decided that a rectangular building lay to the northeast.
Why not join me at other Sicilian
castles? Information on this and other tours can be found at Scholarly
Sojourns.
Copyright©2019
Paul Martin Remfry