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The Castle

The castle of Salemi is the best preserved in the Sicilian territory. Inside are housed the library and the museum of the Risorgimento (Resurgence). The will of Ruggero the Norman The castle has Norman origins and dominates the town with its trapezoidal shape and square corner towers, about 20 feet high, supported by a cylindrical tower that reaches a height of about 30 metres occupying one side of Alcea square. Connected to the structure were some wall buildings that were part of the medieval city wall circuit in which the “Ghibli door “, now disappeared, opened up. Its origins are attributed to Ruggero the Norman, who would have built it in order to be able to control transit routes, yet it is probable that a fortified structure of Byzantine or Islamic age existed. In 1239 Frederick II built the cylindrical great tower where he stayed, but probably the vaults were implemented during the reign of Manfredi. The Arab hidden soul Interesting for its dating is the incision ICNCRI (Iesus Cristus Nazarenus Crocifixus Rex Iudeorum) on the facade of the architrave of the cylindrical tower little window, which places the building of the castle after the subjugation of the Arabs by the Normans in 1070. The Arabic stylistic characters of the building make still believe that the Normans made use of Moorish craftsmen for the construction of the castle.  The footprint of the Federico II The pointed arch, the thick walls, the rather smooth and symmetrical plant, the cross vaults with sculpted keys, the mingling geometric of the polygon-circle (in this case octagon-circle) are all elements that characterize the Frederician castles of Sicily. The multiple destinies of the castle Over the centuries, the castle of Salemi has been used for the most diverse purposes: as a real impregnable citadel (XII-XVI century), as a simple point of observation and spotting (XV-XVI century), as straw storage (XVII -XIX c.) and as the town library (1934-1968). SOURCE: www.virtualsicily.com

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History

Alicia, from the Romans to the Arabs healthy and safe Salemi has a long history. As early as 272 BC the city, known with the name “Alicia” voluntarily surrendered to the Romans benefiting economically and socially from the declaration of free city and immune to taxes. After the Romans, Salemi was subjugated by the Arabs and it is in this period that the centre is structured in the current urban planning configuration. The Arabs also influenced the surrounding landscape by introducing in Salemi’s agriculture oranges, lemons, peaches, apricots, asparagus, artichokes, cotton, carob, rice, pistachios, aubergines, in addition to jasmine and spices such as carnation, cinnamon and ginger. The name of Salemi is derived from an Arabic word: “salem” in fact means healthy and safe. The Swabians began the work of Garibaldi The maximum development of the village, however, came in Norman age; the Swabians followed the Normans and their rule began in 1194 with Henry VI, followed by Costanza and her son Frederick II, who rebuilt the citadel castle. In 1266 begins the dark Angevin period, which ended on 11th December 1411 when, in the castle of Salemi, the confederation of the towns of Salemi, Trapani, Mazara and Monte San Giuliano was stipulated, joined by the barons of Castelvetrano and Partanna to defend and support the royal house of Aragon. On June 30th, 1735 the Bourbon domination begins with Charles III, and will continue until 1860, when in May Giuseppe Garibaldi himself will put, on top of one of the towers of the Norman-Swabian castle, the flag proclaiming Salemi first capital of liberal Italy.

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Accommodation & Restaurants

ALBERGHI VIA MOKARTA – 91018 – salemi – hotel AGRITURISMI
CASCIA FRANCESCA JOLLY PIZZA 18, VIA MANFREDO CREMONA
0924981547CIPRI COSTANTINO VIA REGIONE SICILIANA 0924983490
ECLISSE DI SPAGNOLO & CARADONNA PIZZERIA GASTRONOMIA SNC
49, CONTRADA GORGAZZO 092465369
IL CASTELLO DI TORRE GIUSEPPE ARDAGNA VITO & C. RISTORANTE PIZZER SAS
CONTRADA S. CIRO 092465000
LA GIUMMARA DI SIMONE ANTONINO E GIUSEPPE SAS
214, VIA FAVARA ALBERTO 0924983398
MANNO MARGHERITA RISTORANTE VALENTINO
1024, CONTRADA GORGAZZO 0924981039
SALAMONE CATERINA AZIENDA AGRITURISTICA SETTESOLDI
111, CONTRADA SETTESOLDI 0924982011
SOMADER SOC. ARL
15, VIA S. LEONARDO 092464369
RISTORANTI
Valentino Contrada Gorgazzo, 1024 – 91018 Salemi (TP) Tel. 0924 981039
Al Casareccio Marsala 68 Salemi (tp) Tel. +39 3470651659 – Fax +39 3470651659
El Patio Hotel Ristorante C.da Monte delle Rose, 497 Salemi (tp) Tel. +39 0924 68816
La Giummara Via A. Favara, 124 Salemi (tp) Tel. +39 0924 983398
La Nuova Fattoria Via Monaci, 68 Salemi (tp) Tel. +39 0924 64272

THE WONDERFUL CASTELS IN BASILICATA - PUGLIA - CALABRIA - SICILIA

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