Photo: Cirimbillo, CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Castle
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 38°01′36″ N, 15°42′26″ E
- Address
- Contrada di Sant'Aniceto
History and description
The Castle of Sant'Aniceto (also San Niceto) is a Byzantine castle built in the early 11th century on a hill in Motta San Giovanni, now in the province of Reggio Calabria, southern Italy.
It is one of the few examples of High Middle Ages architecture in Calabria, as well as one of the few well-preserved Byzantine fortifications in the world. The name derives from that of Saint Nikitas, a Byzantine admiral who lived in the 7th-8th centuries.
History
The castle is a Byzantine building built in the early 11th century on a hill in Motta San Giovanni.
In the 13th century the castle became the command center of the flourishing fief of Sant'Aniceto (which included Motta San Giovanni and Montebello). Two centuries later, it was caught in conflict with Reggio Calabria, and in 1459 it was destroyed by Alfonso of Calabria.
Architecture
The castle has an irregular plan, which reminds that of a ship with the bow directed towards the mountains and the aft to the sea.
Nest to the entrance are two square towers. At the feet of the short steep path leading to the plain below is a small church, which has a frescoed dome portraying the Christ Pantokrator, a typical subject of Byzantine Art.
The height of the well-preserved walls varies from 3 to 3.5 meters, and they are some one meters thick.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Castle of Santo Niceto».
Photos
Getting there
Reggio di Calabria PellaroTrain, nearest
5.1 km as the crow flies
Castle of Santo NicetoContrada di Sant'Aniceto
Aeroporto di Reggio Calabria - Tito Minniti7.3 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore castles in Calabria
Frequently asked questions
Where is Castle of Santo Niceto?
Castle of Santo Niceto is in Motta San Giovanni, in the province of Reggio Calabria (Calabria), Italy. Address: Contrada di Sant'Aniceto. GPS coordinates: 38.02678, 15.70719.
What else is there to see near Castle of Santo Niceto?
Nearby you’ll find: Osservatorio sulla ndrangheta (4.2 km away), Battery Fund Versace-Holy Spirit (9.8 km away), Palazzo della cultura "Pasquino Crupi" (10 km away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Castello San Niceto — Cirimbillo, CC BY 3.0
- Castello di Santo Niceto, Calabria 2 — Pequod76, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Motta San Giovanni - Castello di San Niceto - 2023-09-02 16-21-18 002 — Cesare Barillà, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Motta San Giovanni - Castello di San Niceto - 2025-09-04 18-10-26 001 — Antonina Dattola, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Motta San Giovanni - Castello di San Niceto - 2025-09-04 18-15-32 010 — Antonina Dattola, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Niceto Castello — Filippo Latella, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Torri e portale castello San Niceto — Cirimbillo, CC BY 3.0
- Castello di Sant'Aniceto - Motta San Giovanni (Reggio Calabria) - Italy - 29 March 2009 - (1) — Jacopo Werther, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello di Sant'Aniceto - Motta San Giovanni (Reggio Calabria) - Italy - 29 March 2009 — Jacopo Werther, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences