Norman Castle in Aci Castello
The Norman Castle of Aci Castello, placed on a lava ridge, overlooks the square in via del Porto di Acicastello. Today it is also the seat of the Civic Museum and the Botanical Garden.
The composition of the rock, known as a cushion lava , on which the building stands is extremely rare and there are few other examples. It originated from a marine basaltic volcanic eruption over 500,000 years ago.
The castle was built in 1076, in the Norman period, in black lava stone. It hosted Ruggero di Lauria and in 1297 it became the residence of Frederick II of Aragon. The castle is inaccessible on three sides and entry to the fortress is only possible from the west, via a brick bridge, which now replaces the old wooden drawbridge.
