Byzantine Cuba in Castiglione di Sicilia

The Castello di Lauria in Castiglione has had, throughout history, a very important function for the village, to the point of giving it its name. Castiglione in the twelfth century is called Quastallum by Edrisi, Castillo in a diploma from Roger II, Castillio in a diploma from Pope Eugene III. The current name, on the other hand, means Great Castle.
There is no certain information on the origin of the castle, but the presence of two mullioned windows on the west side leads us to believe that the main nucleus was built during the Norman period- Swabian.
During the Middle Ages, the castle was connected to the stronghold of Castelluccio and to an outpost identifiable with the church of San Pietro by underground passages which, it is said, reached as far as Cannizzo.
The castle had different environments: there was the noblest part reserved for the castellan, the stables, the barns, the stables, the houses for the servants and for the maintenance workers. There were prisons, inside which, in the uncomfortable cells called dammusi, no more than two meters long and just one meter high, the most troubled political opponents and the most hardened criminals were often locked up. There were cisterns to conserve rainwater or to hide, during sieges, supplies and precious furnishings; There were the round stone bombs, ready to be hurled at the enemies; In the highest part there was a large room, called Solecchia, which is commonly believed to be the mint where coins were minted.