Castello a Mare

The Castello a Mare Archaeological Park is a green space just north of the Cala Port, around the ancient fortress of Castello a Mare, which was almost completely destroyed after Italian unification.

History of the Castello a Mare

The origin of the castle dates back to the Normans, who took over a Muslim fort. An 11th-century document mentions two towers connected by a chain to close the port, controlling maritime access to the Cala.
Near the access gate there was also a palace and a church of Norman origin at the entrance to the fort.
In the 16th century, during the Spanish period, defensive bastions protected the fortress with a quadrangular enclosure, in order to adapt the fortress to modern artillery, equipped with platforms for cannons.
In 1922 and 1923, almost the entire fortress was demolished to expand the port of Palermo, resulting in the irreversible loss of a large part of the medieval and modern structures.

Archaeological Park

The Mastra Tower, Castello a Mare

Only the 15th-century entrance, the bases of the 16th-century bastions and part of the ancient keep (restored around 1935) remain standing, with masonry attributable to different medieval phases, some of which are associated with the imperial fortifications of Frederick II (13th century), comparable to those observed in other Swabian castles in Sicily.
One can also see remains of the old quays, retaining walls and port facilities.

There is also an ancient Islamic necropolis, dating mainly from the 9th-11th centuries, one of the major testimonies of Muslim Palermo (Balarm), brought to light during the archaeological excavations carried out after the demolitions of the early 20th century.

Where is Castello a Mare in Palermo

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