page_title: Castello di Milazzo
section_title: Layout
hierarchical_section_title: Castello di Milazzo / Layout
caption_attribution_description: Italiano: Panoramica Castello
context_page_description: The Castello di Milazzo is a castle and citadel in Milazzo, Sicily. It is located on the summit of a hill overlooking the town, on a site first fortified in the Neolithic era. The Greeks modified it into an acropolis, and it was later enlarged into a castrum by the Romans and Byzantines. The Arabs built a castle, which was further modified and enlarged during the Medieval and Early Modern periods. It is now in good condition, and open to the public.
  The castle was built as a result of the strategic importance of the Milazzo peninsula, which commands the Gulf of Patti, the body of water that separates Sicily from the Aeolian Islands. It also commands one of Sicily's most important natural harbours.
context_section_description: Although it is commonly called a castle, the Castello di Milazzo is more precisely a fortified town or citadel, since it housed several public and private edifices, such as a cathedral and a Benedictine convent. The citadel is located on top of a hill, which gradually slopes towards the town and its harbour. The south-eastern side of the castle consists of several defensive walls, while its north-western side is protected by a natural cliff-face.
  The keep of the castle is the Torre Saracena (Saracen Tower), which is also the oldest part of the fortification. It was built either by the Arabs or the Normans, but like the rest of the castle, it was modified over the years until the 16th century. The keep is surrounded by walls with protruding square-shaped towers, which were built by the Swabians. These are in turn surrounded by the Aragonese Wall (Italian: Cinta Aragonese), which contains semi-circular bastions.
  The Aragonese Wall is surrounded by the 16th century Spanish Wall (Italian: Cinta Spagnola), which contains the following bastions:
  Bastione di Santa Maria – a semi-circular bastion at the southern end of the castle, containing the main entrance. It was named after a church dedicated to St. Mary which was partially demolished to make way for the bastion.
  Bastione delle Isole – an arrow-shaped bastion at the eastern end of the castle. It was designed by Antonio Ferramolino, and contains a number of countermines.
  The walls are protected by ravelins and other outworks which were built in the 17th century.
  A gallery with a barrel vault then leads to an internal courtyard, after which is the Old Duomo (cathedral), built from 1607. The Benedictine convent was built during the same period. The ruins of the Palazzo dei Giurati (Jurors' Palace) and of the older church of Santa Maria are also present.
caption: The Bastione di Santa Maria
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