Tripi Castle

The medieval castle overlooks the town on a hill, controlling the valleys of the Novara River and the Tallarita River, like the stretch of coast between Milazzo and Tindari, all the way to the Aeolian Islands.

Unfortunately, no sources have provided information on the chronology of the castle's life phases and the layout.

The current position and visible ruins, including the rectangular tower and some sections of perimeter walls, suggest a Frederickian age, even if it is likely that the original nucleus dates back to the Byzantine or Arab period.

There is little concrete information on the castle's origins; the only relevant document from 1154, written by the geographer Idris talks about the presence of a medieval fortress in this area.

Later, in the 1300s, there was certainty about various military actions aimed at its possession, involving high-ranking figures such as Admiral Ruggero di Lauria and King Frederick II, who stayed there until the second half of the 17th century.

The castle is at the highest point of the relief that acts as a watershed between the Tallarita and Mazzarrà streams, and thanks to its elevated and privileged position, it visually dominates the Tyrrhenian coast from Tindari to Milazzo, reaching the inner mountains by following the streams.

The castle is delimited by the remains of a defensive wall and rocks that formed a natural defense; access is from the southern side via a winding path that climbs 100 meters from the town and stops at an opening in the walls, suggesting the presence, at the beginning, of an access gate.

The layout is irregular, with a narrow natural terrace where parts of the crenelated defensive wall and a wall with windows at regular intervals overlook it, near which there is also a cylindrical bastion.