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Visit Roccamena
You visit to Mount Maranfusa can start from the ruins of the Calatrasi castle, structurally very similar to the nearby castle of Calatubo.
Calatrasi castle
Comparing the Calatrasi castle with that of Calatubo, the castle was very protected because it was divided into a series of three defences, significantly increasing its defensive capabilities. The construction of Calatrasi castle has been attributed to the age of the County (1091-1130), even if it is possible the site was already occuppied in the Islamic age. Beyond the particular characteristics imposed by the position of the two sites, both Calatrasi and Calatubo are fortifications with defences on three levels, coinciding with the natural structure of the rocky hill.
In the original plan an isolated tower defended the bottom passage of the fort, which led to the first courtyard. There was another bulwark between the second and the third courtyard of the castle, also closed by walls and crowned by a third tower in which the enclosure wall was closed.
Still in Norman times, Calatrasi suffered significant changes that follow very closely those found at Calatubo. The current entrance, flanked by towers, was reached by the addition of a second tower and a stretch of wall on which a large portal opens. The main parts recognisable today are the central courtyard, made of pebbles, the ruins of a wall and a tower forming part of a larger defense system; on the north side, at the foot of the promontory, another fortified area has been identified, while the tank for the water supply is also visible. Other ruins of walls and towers are visible in the lower part of the fortification.
Other Roccamena highlights
Devils Bridge: Less than a mile south west of the mountain stands the Bridge of Calatrasi (in Arabic "Gadir Sertet" = Devil's Bridge) which has been well preserved thanks to some restoration in recent times; it is located downstream of Mount Maranfusa, and crosses the right branch of the Belice River. The bridge is presumably of Norman origin, but with important Arab influences. (Sicilian medieval structures usually consist of only one arch, possibly supported by other smaller arches*.)
*In Sicily the restarting of the civil construction program coincided with the Normans arrival; after many centuries of Arabic domination the local skilled workers were by now used to constructing the pointed arch so, contrary to what happened in the other parts of Italy, this arch type also was employed for the bridge construction. We notice that the same pointed arch was frequently used in other European regions under the Arabic dominion (the Orense bridge over the Miño, the Devil bridge at Martorell, in Spain), and also in those places where the taste was already leaning towards Gothic architecture (eg the bridge at Entraygues, on the Truyere river in France).
Local monuments of interest: among the archaeological attractions of Roccamena are an ancient water mill, near the “Calatrasi Bridge”, that took advantage of the flow of the river Belice. The mill has a composite structure, since many elements were built in different times, but it seems to date from the mid-16th century.
Local cuisine and specialities: local specialities to enjoy in and around Roccamena include pasta with sardines, the cannoli, the Cassateddi, and the "cucciddati", a variety of bread. Taste also the "mulune" (melon), especially during the festival dedicated to it.
We would like to conclude with a mention of the wine area of Calatrasi, a very ancient tradition. In the area of Monreale one of the best wines of Sicily has been produced since ancient times. Diodorus (90-27 BC) told that Hamilcar Barca (275-228 BC), laying siege to Palermo, lost the battle with the Romans because a portion of his army got drunk before the battle.
See also Roccamena history and etymology.
See the the Sicily travel guide for more places to visit in the same region as Roccamena.