Tag: norman architecture
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Lords and Ladies in Caccamo
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…
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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…
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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,…
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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.