Castello Normanno di Squillace / The Norman Castle of Squillace
The Norman castle
Squillace Castle dominates the panorama from the highest point of the medieval village and watches over the settlement and its surroundings.
It was built by the Normans in the second half of the 11th century, at the end of the successful campaign of conquest in Calabria against the Byzantines, who had occupied southern Italy for over 5 centuries. The Norman era is certainly the most important for Squillace, which is experiencing a moment of great political-administrative, economic and religious fervor.
The walls shape the outline of the town, which is clearly recognizable from the serpentines that lead from the beach to the upper part. From inside you have a spectacular view of the town and the entire gulf.
Despite the earthquake that struck Calabria and Squillace in 1783, the structure of the castle, the stone masonry and the embossed portal with the coat of arms of the Borgia are still clearly visible.
The rooms of the small castle museum are very interesting: In the so-called “Warrior's Hall”, along with various other historical finds, are the skeletons of two fighters from the 13th / 14th centuries. Century, which were found during an excavation campaign by the Ecole francaise.
Text / source: turiscalabria.it
turiscalabria.it/website/?lang=de&categoria=/wo/kusten/grune-flagge/&view_type=s&id=189&title=squillace.html

Translated by Google •

Paul

November 12, 2021

The Norman castle of Squillace
Squillace Castle dominates the village from the top of the hill. It was built by the Normans in the second half of the eleventh century at the end of the Calabrian conquest against the Byzantines, who had possessed the region and southern Italy in general for over five centuries. Squillace was the most important administrative, political and religious stronghold on the Ionian coast in Norman times. Here Ruggero d'Altavilla San Bruno di Colonia donates the areas in which the Charterhouse of Serra San Bruno is being built.
The Norman period is certainly the most important for Squillace, who lived a moment of great political-administrative, economic and religious zeal.
The early thirteenth century is fundamental to the history of Squillace: at this time the settlement is beleded for the first time under a count and in the presence of a castellanus. Under Frederick II, to whom we probably owe the construction of the polygonal tower on the east side of the enclosure, the Castrum Squillacii is held by a castellanus non habens terram and ten servants. The situation seems to be the same in the Angevin era.
From 1256 the castle was occupied by different families: the Lancia, the Monfort, the Del Balzo, the Marzano, until 1485 when the castle returned under the direct control of Frederick of Aragon, the future King of Naples. In 1494 the castle passed to the Borgia family through marriage, whose marble coat of arms dominates the entrance portal. The Borgias, a very important noble family of Castilian origin, moved to Italy in the twelfth century, where they settled in Florence, Perugia, Siena, Rome, Naples. The marriage establishes the alliance between Pope Alexander VI. Borgia and Alfonso II of Aragon: Goffredo Borgia, brother of the much better known Lucrezia, just 13 years old, and Sancha of Aragon, the birth daughter of the king, are married. The Borgia family ruled the castle until 1729 when, due to a lack of heirs, it became part of the royal domain again. Squillace was demoted to Marchesato in 1755 and passed to the De Gregorio family who held the castle until 1783 when a violent earthquake shook and destroyed the entire village.
Text / source: il Uoghi di Cassiodoro
iluoghidicassiodoro.it/i-musei/il-castello-normanno-di-squillace

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 380 m

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Location: Squillace, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy

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