In the province of Agrigento which is famous for its monuments of the epoch of the Ancient Greeks you may find the monuments of the Middle Ages as well. The castles of Agrigento are situated both on the coast and in the centre of the province. All of them are not less interesting places than, for example, the Valley of Temples.
There are some castles in Agrigento which at different time belonged to one and the same noble family the name of which is Chiaramontes. They are the castles in Naro, Favar, Moncada Castle in Palma di Montecciaro.
The castle in Naro is a National Monument. Its most outstanding part is Aragon’s Tower.
The Castle in Favara was built by Chiaramontes family in the 13th century. It is interesting because the building is something between a castle and a palace. A gravestone at the entrance of the castle is one of the main local mysteries. The inscription on it has never been interpreted. They say there is a secret prompt in it with the help of which the treasures of Chiaramontes family can be found.
Moncada Castle became famous together with the whole town in the 14th century because it was one of the scenes of action of the novel “Leopard” by Tomassi di Lampedusa. The Moncada Castle looks like a gigantic cruiser.
The Caltabellotta Castle was founded in the epoch of the Arabian power and then it was rebuilt by the Normans. During different periods of time the castle was the centre of important historic events. In this particular place the war of the Sicilian vespers was put to an end and the new king of Sicily was crowned. But in spite of such glory Caltabellotta Castle has kept only the shadow of its splendor, most of its fortifications are in ruins.
The Menfi Castle is an example of the architecture of the early medieval period. It was built in the 13th century by the Emperor Frederick the Second on the ruins of the Arabian Fort. Since its foundation only one part of the castle still exists. It includes a tower of an unusual shape which has four storeys.
