San Marco d'Alunzio
This was the first Norman castle to be built in Sicily. It was
founded by the troops of Robert Guiscard (d.1085) in the autumn of 1061
who chose to remain when Robert decided to return to the mainland after
his first invasion of Sicily. It is said to have been built on
the site of a pre-existing fortress and in 1083 revolted to Jordan Hauteville, the illegitmate son of Count Roger Hauteville (d.1101). From 1090 to 1112 it was the
home of Adelasia, the third wife of Count Roger Hauteville (d.1101) and mother and regent of King Roger II (d.1154). It was later, like Carini,
a prison for the conspirators against Chancellor Stephen Perche
(d.1169). It was still garrisoned in May 1272 for the
Angevins. After the Sicilian Vespers of March 1282 it passed back
to royal control and was presumably given by King Frederick III (d.1337) to his bastard son, Sanc Aragon, who held it until his death in the late 1320s.
Description
The castle is built on the top of Mount Rotondo and consists of a large
enclosure containing remains of the great hall. The original
enclosure was probably about 150' square, but its south and west portions have
been built over. It is best preserved to the north where a 100'
long wall marked the north side of the enceinte and the great
hall. The remaining structure was of 2 floors. The low
undercroft had 6 Romanesque embrasures to the north, although their
lights are now gone. Above a series of joist holes was the much
taller main floor which had 4 great pointed embrasures, 2 now contain
reconstructed large twin light windows. Obviously this was the
main hall. Parts of the east wall remain and contains what may be
an entrance. To the northwest the curtain runs diagonally off the hall
end and disappears into modern buildings. This stretch contains a
possible entrance and a blocked Romanesque embrasure. Other
fragments of walling can be made out built into the newer houses on the
site.
The wall, built on bedrock, consists of rubble interlaid with Roman
tiles and bricks. As such its construction looks more
‘Byzantine' than Norman, although it does not fit into the
Byzantine 'batleship' shaped castle like those discussed under Aci castle.
At the external ends of the hall, as well as at a low level, there are
reused great ashlar blocks which could well have come from a
Hellenistic site. The remains have recently been restored and now
bound a car park making a town square. The site as it stands
looks more Byzantine and later residential than Norman.
Presumably then the Norman work consisted of rebuilding the older
ruins. Such would make sense for a small force remaining in a
hostile territory.
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