Norman Castle
Castle
Elisabetta Cirianni
Gerace Castle stands on the highest point of one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages, in the province of Reggio Calabria. Founded by the Byzantines on a previous Greek-Roman site, Gerace Castle was fortified by the Normans in the 10th century (also known as the Norman Castle of Gerace). It is a fortress separated from the town centre, the current village of Gerace, originally accessible via a ten-metre-long drawbridge, which rested on an intermediate pier carved out of the rock.
In 986, the Arabs devastated Gerace and its castle. During Spanish rule, a number of military reinforcements were added, such as loopholes, guardhouses and internal corridors, in addition to the circular tower. Even today, at the entrance, you can admire the white marble coat of arms in the shape of a shield, decorated with two towers, a lion, lilies and pots.
Inside, Gerace Castle housed rooms dedicated to daily activities, including an oratory and a water cistern. Numerous earthquakes caused considerable damage to it, particularly that of 1783. Near the Norman Castle of Gerace is the San'Antonio Cave, while the square in front of it, called the Baglio, offers a wonderful view of the historic centre and the valley.
