Norman Castle

The Castle of Strongoli is one of the architectural symbols of the town in the province of Crotone. It stands at the top of the historic centre of Strongoli and overlooks the beautiful seaside resort of Strongoli Marina, along the Saracen Coast. The fortress, also known as the Norman Castle of Strongoli, was built on the ruins of ancient Strongylòn (from the Greek name meaning “round”) and tells the Byzantine history of the village, which was fortified against Saracen raids and later became a diocesan seat, as evidenced by the 16th-century Bishop's Palace.

With a quadrilateral plan and four corner towers, Strongoli Castle is dominated by a sturdy keep tower rising in the centre of the curtain wall, facing the town, which served as access to the structure via a drawbridge suspended over a moat (now filled in). There is little information about its construction and renovations: we know that Strongoli was already a walled city in the Norman-Swabian period, as it was a bishopric; further fortifications were added during the Aragonese period. The Castle of Strongoli had a certain military importance during the so-called “Conspiracy of the Barons” and the descent of Charles VIII; finally, it was renovated by King Joachim Murat after the earthquake of 1783.