Forte Castellaccio (Messina)

Forte Castellaccio
Part of the fortifications of Messina
Messina, Sicily, Italy
View of Forte Castellaccio
Coordinates38°11′46.046″N 15°32′26.909″E / 38.19612389°N 15.54080806°E / 38.19612389; 15.54080806
Site information
ConditionDerelict
Site history
Builtc. 1547
Built byKingdom of Sicily
MaterialsLimestone

Forte Castellaccio is an abandoned hilltop fortress in Messina, Sicily built by Juan de Vega, Viceroy of Sicily around the middle of the 16th Century as part of a defensive project ordered by Emperor Charles V of Habsburg.[1] It was designed by the Italian military architect Antonio Ferramolino (died. 1550).[2] It was damaged by the 1908 Messina earthquake[3] before being briefly reused as a 'colony for boys' in the 1940s.[4] Despite several attempts to renovate the site since, it has remained abandoned and considered locally to be haunted by the ghosts of orphans and by the apparition of a nun.[3]

Description

The fortress stands on a hill between Gravitelli and Montepiselli, a short distance from Forte Gonzaga, another 16th Century defensive structure also built by Juan de Vega and designed by Antonio Ferramolino.[3] The original structure has a quadrangular design and is annexed by several more modern buildings, all now in a state of dereliction.

Images

  • Abandoned Forte Castellaccio in Messina, Sicily
    Abandoned Forte Castellaccio
  • Derelict building annexed to Forte Castellaccio
    Derelict building annexed to Forte Castellaccio

References

  1. ^ Murray (Firm), John (1892). A Handbook for Travellers in Southern Italy and Sicily: Sicily. J. Murray.
  2. ^ "Forte Castellaccio, maestosa fortezza abbandonata tra storia e misteri". Siciliafan (in Italian). 2020-05-14. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  3. ^ a b c F, Giuseppe (2022-03-12). "I fantasmi di Forte Castellaccio a Messina". Curiosauro (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  4. ^ Marzo 2023 16:14, Vincenzo Ricciardi 4 (2023-03-04). "Il Castellaccio, un forte diventato colonia per bambini e ora abbandonato da anni VIDEO e FOTO". Tempo Stretto - Ultime notizie da Messina e Reggio Calabria (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)