The construction of the magnificent Ursino castle in Catania in the early 1200s was ordered under the rule of Frederick II. It was a testament to Frederick’s multicultural style of governance as the castle plans blended styles from both eastern and western design.
Come to Sicily and book a vacation rental near Catania where you can easily explore all the treasures this area of the region and island has to offer you!
Ursino castle originally stood directly overlooking the Sicilian coast and was a mighty structure of security for Catania.
Come to Sicily and book a vacation rental near Catania where you can easily explore all the treasures this area of the region and island has to offer you!
Ursino castle originally stood directly overlooking the Sicilian coast and was a mighty structure of security for Catania.
A huge square was placed in its centre, framed by huge walls with four huge towers in each corner and smaller turrets built into the walls themselves. A moat was added as an added security outside these tall walls.
Due to its proximity to Mount Etna when it erupted in 1693, lava flowed right up to Ursino castle, filling its moat and burying some of it!
It is now located at a further distance of one kilometre from the sea because when the lava reached the coast the water cooled it, turned it to stone and became part of the mainland.
Due to its proximity to Mount Etna when it erupted in 1693, lava flowed right up to Ursino castle, filling its moat and burying some of it!
It is now located at a further distance of one kilometre from the sea because when the lava reached the coast the water cooled it, turned it to stone and became part of the mainland.
In the 1800s, Ursino castle served as a prison before its current role as a cultural art museum. It’s beautifully preserved walls help tourists to envision what life was like here when the castle was in fully use as a defensive structure and tours around it can teach even more about its fascinating history.
Walk around this majestic structure for yourself as well as discovering other incredible attractions in Sicily such as the Aeolian archipelago, Mount Etna and other fantastic cities like Palermo and Agrigento.
Walk around this majestic structure for yourself as well as discovering other incredible attractions in Sicily such as the Aeolian archipelago, Mount Etna and other fantastic cities like Palermo and Agrigento.
Photo credits
picture 1: Triquetra / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Archeo / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo / CC BY 2.0
picture 1: Triquetra / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Archeo / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo / CC BY 2.0
