Castle of Motta Sant'Anastasia
The Castle of Motta Sant'Anastasia, also known as Dongione, is a tower of Norman origin, a lookout and defense point.
It was built between 1070 and 1074 by Count Roger the Norman. It is part of a defense and control system of the Simeto valley also made up of the Paternò Castle and Adrano Castle.
The donjon of Motta Sant'Anastasia Ha a rectangular shape, typical of a late medieval defensive settlement. It is approximately 21 meters high and rests directly on a ridge of lava rock, the neck. The structure is made of irregularly sized lava stone ashlars and mortar.
The tower, set on a rocky lava cliff, is divided into three floors by means of wooden floors: the ground floor was intended for military accommodation, seven loopholes are still visible. Here a cistern was created to collect rainwater and where, according to leggenda, it was the Count of Modica, Bernardo Cabrera, was locked up. The current entrance door and the square windows located on the sides date back to the 16th century; the first floor has pointed arch windows externally and round arch windows internally and was intended for the accommodation of the garrison commander; the second floor is characterized by a pointed arch.
Around the fortress there are still the ruins of the city walls, inside which there must have been other buildings.
The castle is home to the Historical Museum.