Il complesso monumentale “Castello di Milazzo” Ha una superficie di oltre 7 ettari e rappresenta la cittadella fortificata più grande di Sicilia; 12.070 mq sono coperti da fabbricati e si staglia sul paesaggio di Milazzo alla sommità dell’antico “Borgo” configurandosi come uno dei complessi fortificati più significativi d’Europa.
Il complesso monumentale fonda le ragioni della sua collocazione sullo straordinario valore strategico della penisola di Milazzo che si protende verso le Isole Eolie, a presidio di una rada naturale che ha costituito da sempre uno dei porti più importanti della Sicilia.
“La Cittadella Fortificata” rappresenta infatti uno dei pochi esempi di architettura militare in cui ancora esistono sistemi difensivi realizzati nel corso di circa 10 secoli da chi governava questo territorio.
Occorre sottolineare che il sito non ha avuto sempre valenze esclusivamente militari, essendo stato, anche, parte di un borgo medioevale, nella zona compresa fra la Cinta Aragonese e quella Spagnola.
THE SISO PROJECT
WHERE
The skeleton of the sperm whale Siso is exhibited in the 'Museo del Mare' located in the 'Bastion of Santa Maria' of Milazzo Castle.
THE CASTLE
THE BASTION
The Bastione di Santa Maria was once the cathedral of Milazzo, which was partially torn down to construct the military bastion. It is a semicircle and was important to defend the southern part of the fortified city. The bulwark is part of the Spanish wall, and was known as “delle tre porte”. Construction started around 1525; between 1607 and 1608 the structure was modified with a barrel vault for military purposes.
The Spanish wall was built between 1525 and 1540 as designed by Pietro Antonio Tomasello, along with Antonio Ferramolino from 1533; composed of two parallel walls connected with a tunnel, the wall was built to protect the city and the naval base. Constructed with embankments, the interior of the wall was used for storerooms, cisterns and stables.
The Church Santa Maria was built at the end of the 15th century and the start of the 16th century with a single nave and rectangular plan. The only surviving architectural feature is a large stone arch with classic lines, that separates the nave from the choir. Today the floor plan is irregular because the original entry way was modified during the construction of the Spanish wall.
