An old picture of Alcamo Castle when used as a prison.
In 1340 King Peter II of Sicily had given Raimondo Peralta terram Alcami et prefatum castrum Bonifati, without any mention about the castle;[2] in fact, it is quoted, for the first time, in a diploma dated 1391. In this document the King Martino I confirmed to Enrico Ventimiglia, the concession made to his father, Guarnerio, by King Federico III de la terra e lu Castellu di Alcamu.[2]
The construction of the castle was started by the Peralta family at about 1340 and was finished in 1350, under the feudatories Enrico and Federico Chiaramonte;[3] it was a mansion and a defensive structure until the 16th century. If equipped with munitions and food, it could resist for a month and a half, quartering 30 companies of soldiers.[2]
In 1392 king Martino and his wife were hosted in the castle after the Chiaramontes' defeat,[3] and on September 1, 1535[1][3] the emperor Carlo V, during his return from his Tunis victory, lodged in one of its towers with his court and the infanta Eleonora d'Aragona.[3]
In 1534 the castle was attacked by the Islamic pirate Barbarossa.[3] From 1583 and until 1589 it had three restorations.[1]
Since 1828, further to a sentence by Trapani Law Court, Alcamo municipality came into possession of the castle and in the following years it was used as a seat of municipal offices, prison and stable.[1][3]
In 1870 there was another restoration.[1] After the last restorations (made between 2000 and 2010), it has been used as the seat of the Ethnographic Museum and of the Historical Regional Vintage Wines Stock.[1]
A double lancet window before its restoration (1967).
Descriptionedit
The castle has a rhomboidal shape,[1] with a nearly rectangular courtyard.[3] At the corners there are four battlemented towers (two square and two circular shaped[1]), each of them with a particular function, that is:
In the square and highest one (called “the main tower”) they tortured prisoners;[3]
the square and lowest one was reserved to sentinels;[3]
one of the circular towers was used to give hospitality to distinguished guests.[1][3]
On the castle sides there are double and triple lancet windows of Gothic-Catalan derivation.[1] Originally it had three doors, placed on the south, west and north sides.[4]
In the past the castle was bounded by walls which served to hinder the castle's siege by war machines.[4]
According to a hypothesis, which is still to be confirmed, under the castle maybe there are also some prison ditches which were used between the end of the 14th and the 18th century for the kings' imprisonment.[5]
See alsoedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castle of Alcamo.
^ abcdefghijk. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
^ abcMirabella, Francesco Maria (1980). Alcamensia noterelle storiche. Alcamo: Sarograf.
^ abcdefghijVita Russo, "Alcamo, Castello dei Conti di Modica"
^ ab. Archived from the original on 2015-05-19. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
^Alcamo: Ritrovate le fosse carcerarie dei re del Castello
Sourcesedit
Regina, Vincenzo (1967). Il Castello Trecentesco dei Conti di Modica in Alcamo. Alcamo: Boccone del Povero.
Mirabella, Francesco Maria (1980). Alcamensia noterelle storiche. Alcamo: Sarograf.
Marconi, Paolo (8 October 2012). Restauro dei monumenti: Cultura, progetti e cantieri 1967-2010. Gangemi Editore spa. pp. 150–157. ISBN9788849274400.
April 14, 2024
castle, counts, modica, alcamo, castle, counts, modica, castle, alcamo, medieval, castle, situated, town, centre, alcamo, province, trapani, sicily, southern, italy, castle, counts, modicacastello, conti, modicaalcamo, italycastle, counts, modicacastle, counts. The Castle of the Counts of Modica or Castle of Alcamo 1 is a medieval castle situated in the town centre of Alcamo in the province of Trapani Sicily southern Italy Castle of the Counts of ModicaCastello dei Conti di ModicaAlcamo in ItalyCastle of the Counts of ModicaCastle of the Counts of ModicaCoordinates37 58 46 N 12 58 01 E 37 97944 N 12 96694 E 37 97944 12 96694TypeCastleSite informationOpen tothe publicyes from Wednesday to Sunday 1 Contents 1 History 2 Description 3 See also 4 References 5 SourcesHistory edit nbsp An old picture of Alcamo Castle when used as a prison In 1340 King Peter II of Sicily had given Raimondo Peralta terram Alcami et prefatum castrum Bonifati without any mention about the castle 2 in fact it is quoted for the first time in a diploma dated 1391 In this document the King Martino I confirmed to Enrico Ventimiglia the concession made to his father Guarnerio by King Federico III de la terra e lu Castellu di Alcamu 2 The construction of the castle was started by the Peralta family at about 1340 and was finished in 1350 under the feudatories Enrico and Federico Chiaramonte 3 it was a mansion and a defensive structure until the 16th century If equipped with munitions and food it could resist for a month and a half quartering 30 companies of soldiers 2 In 1392 king Martino and his wife were hosted in the castle after the Chiaramontes defeat 3 and on September 1 1535 1 3 the emperor Carlo V during his return from his Tunis victory lodged in one of its towers with his court and the infanta Eleonora d Aragona 3 In 1534 the castle was attacked by the Islamic pirate Barbarossa 3 From 1583 and until 1589 it had three restorations 1 Since 1828 further to a sentence by Trapani Law Court Alcamo municipality came into possession of the castle and in the following years it was used as a seat of municipal offices prison and stable 1 3 In 1870 there was another restoration 1 After the last restorations made between 2000 and 2010 it has been used as the seat of the Ethnographic Museum and of the Historical Regional Vintage Wines Stock 1 nbsp A double lancet window before its restoration 1967 Description editThe castle has a rhomboidal shape 1 with a nearly rectangular courtyard 3 At the corners there are four battlemented towers two square and two circular shaped 1 each of them with a particular function that is In the square and highest one called the main tower they tortured prisoners 3 the square and lowest one was reserved to sentinels 3 one of the circular towers was used to give hospitality to distinguished guests 1 3 On the castle sides there are double and triple lancet windows of Gothic Catalan derivation 1 Originally it had three doors placed on the south west and north sides 4 In the past the castle was bounded by walls which served to hinder the castle s siege by war machines 4 According to a hypothesis which is still to be confirmed under the castle maybe there are also some prison ditches which were used between the end of the 14th and the 18th century for the kings imprisonment 5 See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castle of Alcamo Alcamo Castle of Calatubo Castle of VentimigliaReferences edit a b c d e f g h i j k iCastelli it Castello Di Alcamo Archived from the original on 2015 09 24 Retrieved 2015 05 18 a b c Mirabella Francesco Maria 1980 Alcamensia noterelle storiche Alcamo Sarograf a b c d e f g h i j Vita Russo Alcamo Castello dei Conti di Modica a b Guidasicilia Alcamo e il Castello dei Conti di Modica Archived from the original on 2015 05 19 Retrieved 2015 05 18 Alcamo Ritrovate le fosse carcerarie dei re del CastelloSources editRegina Vincenzo 1967 Il Castello Trecentesco dei Conti di Modica in Alcamo Alcamo Boccone del Povero Mirabella Francesco Maria 1980 Alcamensia noterelle storiche Alcamo Sarograf Marconi Paolo 8 October 2012 Restauro dei monumenti Cultura progetti e cantieri 1967 2010 Gangemi Editore spa pp 150 157 ISBN 9788849274400 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Castle of the Counts of Modica Alcamo amp oldid 1167448816, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
