Palazzolo Acreide Castle
The Castle of Palazzolo Acreide, also known as Rocca di Castelmezzano, was a stronghold of the Byzantine defense in southeastern Sicily.
The date of construction of the castle is not known, the first news dates back to 827 AD. when the fortress was attacked by the troops of Asad Ibn al Furat, even if there is no information on the outcome of the siege. The castle was abandoned following the earthquake of 1693.
The Castle of Palazzolo Acreide stands on a limestone cliff close to the ancient nucleus of the town. The Castle stands in a strategic position: along the north, north-west and west sides, there is an overhanging cliff while on the south-east side there is the entrance to the castle which takes place only, thanks to cuts in the rock, through a narrow street.
The ancient fortress controlled the Anapo valley to the north and established direct visual contact with the Buscemi castle.
The ruins of the castle are found above all in the northern area, where it is believed that the original nucleus arose. To the south you can see the remains of structures apparently intended for residential use and, presumably, dating back to a later period.
