Pentefur
The castle seems to have predated the town of Savoca, while
archaeology has suggested a Roman or Byzantine foundation.
The village was founded (or refounded) in 1134 by King Roger (d.1154) around the
rock of Pentefur. Later sources claim that this was an Arab
castle, hence its name, Castello Saraceno. By 1154 Idisi
seems to call the place Sant ‘Lli, possibly a corruption of
Balm for Savoca Palmi, a place which still existed in the vicinity in
1826. In 1282 Savoca provided 20 arches to the army of Peter
of Aragon as he moved against the Angevins around Messina.
The castle and a casale were mentioned in 1308, while on 30 November
1355, William Rosso, the brother of Count Henry Rosso of Aidone (d.1388), was confirmed as castellan of
Savoca. This was when King Frederick IV (d.1377) confirmed
that the archimandrites of Messina spent the summer months of the year
in Pentefur castle where they had a chapel. This chapel is
now the current church of St Michele just NE of the castle.
After the massacre of Messina in 1356, Arrigo Rosso, the brother of
Count William of Aidone (d.1388), took refuge in the castle, which the king then
transferred to Frederick Giordano. In 1385 Frederick was replaced by
Tommaso Crisafi of Messina. Tommaso was still governor in
1396 when he was accused of corruption by King Martin (d.1409) and the
fortress was eventually returned to the archimandrites of Messina, the
feudal lords of Savoca.
Between 1421 and 1450 Archimandrite Luca IV moved his court permanently
to Pentefur castle and in 1480 Archimandrite Lorenzo II restored the
fortress. Some 50 years later in 1531 the castle was
‘remade in greater circuit and more magnificent form' by
Diego Requenses. Like many other castles of eastern Sicily, Pentefur
was heavily struck by the earthquake of 1693. Despite this in
the early eighteenth century the castle was repaired by the archbishops
of Messina and the town had walls added and 2 gates, one of which still
survives today. This has an ogival arch of good quality
masonry, but the wall it stands in is rubble built, although the lower
portions are of ashlar. The upper rubble section has good
quality tile levelling courses and is generally of a better standard
than the castle walls. Regardless of any rebuilding the
castle was abandoned around 1780 and subsequently used as a stone
quarry.
Description
Pentefur castle occupies the summit of the largest of a series of hills
south of Savoca. The heart of the fortress is a quadrangular
ward about 100' east to west and some 40' north to south. This contained several
buildings built along the walls and stands upon a natural rocky
motte. Along the east wall was a large chamber, while against
the north wall were 2 smaller chamber to the west with a much large
room between them and the eastern chamber. The southwest portion may
have been a courtyard, although the enceinte has been destroyed
here. West of the inner ward was a tapering enclosure that
may have been a barbican. Surrounding this to the south and west
was a lower ward, the western portion of which has gone, although a
deep cistern was at its northwest apex. There are also some
surviving battlements along this section of wall with a wallwalk
behind. The wall is made of a very poorly laid rubble
interspersed with much red tile. Quite possibly this is the
site of the original Byzantine fortress and it bears some comparison
with Buscemi castle, as well as the other Byzantine fortresses listed
under Aci castle.
West of the castle proper is another long ward which terminates to the
west in an elongated D shaped platform. This is almost
certainly the early sixteenth century extension of Diego Requenses.
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