The castle at Caccamo is everything you think a castle should be. Its position over the valley below is extraordinary and it even has a room with a trap door where the lord of the fortress could literally pull the rug out from under you if you were on his bad side, and you’d fall…
Tag: norman architecture
Castle In The Sky
Constructed starting in the 11th century, the Norman castle at Caccamo, Sicily sits atop a steep mountain overlooking a vast green valley in the province of Palermo. Thank you to my cousin Filippo Buttitta, who took this photo. Today, the medieval structure houses a civic museum and an excellent pizzeria, where we’ll eat lunch on…
My Lady, I’ll Have Pizza
The Normans made sure that their castle at Caccamo was impenetrable. With construction dating back to the 11th century, it sits atop a steep mountain overlooking a vast green valley and fresh water lake (a rarity in Sicily). Today, you are welcome to visit the Castello’s museum. The imposing structure also houses an excellent pizzeria,…
She Wore a Red Cherry Beret
The red domes of San Cataldo church overlook Via Maqueda and Piazza Bellini in Palermo. San Cataldo was built during the early-Norman era in the 1150s by Maio of Bari, William I’s top emir, or commander. Its red domes and elegant window details illustrate the unique Arab-Norman architectural style found only in Sicily.