Top 13 Castles around Monreale

Built in the 14th century by order of Enrico and Federico Chiaramonte due to its privileged location overlooking the sea, Alcamo Castle has an impregnable exterior, while its interior is elegant. It has a rhomboid layout with four towers—two square and two round—and a large internal courtyard. The castle's openings are Gothic-style mullioned windows with two and three lights. In the 19th century, the Castle of the Counts of Modica became the property of the Municipality of Alcamo. Today, it houses the Regional Wine Shop of Western Sicily. Source: https://www.comune.alcamo.tp.it/it/vivere/castello-dei-conti-di-modica

An impregnable fortress and prestigious residence of Enrico and Federico Chiaramonte, who likely built it between 1340 and 1350, the castle takes its name from the Counts who owned it from 1410 to 1812. With its sturdy structure, built on a rhomboidal plan, and four alternating towers—two cylindrical and two square—it protected the city and withstood violent attacks for centuries, including the infamous one by the Islamic pirate, Barbarossa. On the north facade, two original single-lancet windows remain, while in the internal courtyard, two double-lancet and three-lancet windows remain. The castle's grand staircase is made of red marble from the quarries of Mount Bonifato. Opposite the theater dedicated to the poet Cielo d'Alcamo, in the same square, the symbolic monument of the city of Alcamo, the Castle of the Counts of Modica, stands before the visitor. Source: https://www.comune.alcamo.tp.it/it/vivere/castello-dei-conti-di-modica

Beautiful palace with guided tours by the owners. Many old rooms with original furniture from different centuries.

The climb along the paved Way of the Cross, which is mostly car-free, takes you steadily uphill. From here you can already enjoy great views of the surrounding hills and wind turbines that dominate the panorama. Once you reach the top, you will be greeted by the imposing ruins of the 11th century castle. A real highlight is the active church of SS. Maria del Alto, which is integrated directly into the old walls. It is a fascinating interplay of history and living faith. The view from above is definitely worth the trip - the vastness of the landscape below you, the small villages in the distance and the gentle breeze make the visit perfect for a break with a view. The old ruin has retained some of its charm over the centuries, and the walk around the castle can be easily captured on camera.

Where is it

In the center of the great Calatubo valley, stands a solitary fortress about one hundred and fifty meters high, on top of which the Castle sits. The fortress appears inaccessible to those coming from the sea, although, in reality, it can be reached from the south-west side which has a sloping surface. The fortress, due to its position, has always been a strategic point in which to retreat to protect oneself against possible attackers. In ancient times, it was a garrisoned site during the period of Greek colonization in Sicily and then a military outpost in the Roman, Byzantine and Norman periods, making it a fortified and strategic outpost for territorial and road control. With the Arab domination, the castle no longer had a military function and was used as a residence and farm, to support the vast fiefdom, by the various nobles who followed one another as owners.

The former Capuchin convent of the 18th century. They were built at the end of the 18th century, on land purchased by Prince Fabrizio Alliata and at his expense, who endowed the friars with income for worship, food and the maintenance of the structures. The church, inserted in the body of the convent, had a single nave which was accessed through the beautiful portal crowned by a robust mixtilinear frame. The convent consisted of sixteen rooms on the ground floor, some of which had a real vault and thirty-one on the first floor, connected by long corridors. From 1927 to 1963 it was used as a hospital and later as a school; it has recently been restored and consolidated also with the insertion of new metal structures.

The ruins of Salaparuta, a small Sicilian town, are the historical testimony of the serious earthquake that struck the Belice valley in 1968. The ruins are what remained of the old inhabited center of the Trapani municipality and keep alive the memory of one of the most dramatic events that it hit Sicily and all of Italy.