Originally, in the 13th cent., this castle was a Swabian military outpost of Messina, no distance away. Later, in the 16th cent., it belonged to the Marchese family, eventually passing to the Ruffo family, who until the 17th cent. used it as a hunting lodge. Scaletta Zanclea Castle is an imposing construction on three floors standing at the top of a hill that stretches down towards the sea. It is reached by climbing the stepped streets leading up to the town centre. The architectural distribution of the castle closely reflects the lie of the land, located as it stands on a series of rocky outcrops. The massive fortress is well preserved in its main parts, and is embellished with elegant two-light mullioned windows on the piano nobile and single-light windows on the upper floor. The invention of artillery necessitated a drastic change in defensive structures: the 13th-cent. keep was left unchanged, but it was surrounded by a system of protective works such as a look-out fortress, under the command of the prefect commanding the garrison. The castle has now become public property, and is used as a multipurpose cultural centre; it also houses the Civic Museum, where there is a collection of ancient weapons and documents.

Details of the Scaletta Zanclea Castle

(click on the photos to enlarge)