- UNESCO
Photo: Antonio Caruso at Italian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Middle Ages, 1072
- Founder
- Roger I of Sicily
- Owner
- Roger I of Sicily
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 37°33′56″ N, 14°53′37″ E
- Address
- Via dei Normanni
History and description
The Castello normanno ("Norman Castle") is a castle in Paternò, in the Province of Catania, Sicily, southern Italy.
History
The castle was built in 1072 by Count Roger I of Sicily to protect the Simeto valley from Islamic raids. Under Henry VI it was made the seat of the Count of Paternò, assigned to his fellow Swabian Bartholomew of Luci. Later the castle housed kings and queens, such as Henry's son Emperor Frederick II, Eleanor of Anjou and Blanche I of Navarre, as the castle had been included in the so-called Camera Reginale estates ("Queen's Chamber") by King Frederick III of Sicily.
The Chamber was abolished in the 15th century, and in 1431 the castle was acquired by the Speciale family; until 1456 it was owned by the Moncada family. Used as a jail, in the following centuries it became increasingly decayed, until restoration work begun in the 19th century brought it back to its ancient prominence.
Description
The castle has a rectangular plan, on three floors, with a height of 34 m. Originally, it had Ghibelline-style merlons, of which today only remains can be seen. Notable is the colour effect created by the dark shade of the stones and the frames of the Gothic-style mullioned windows, in white limestone.
The first-storey houses several service chambers and the Chapel of St. John, decorated with precious 13th-century frescoes. The piano nobile houses a large Weapons Hall. The king's residence was located on the upper floor.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Castello Normanno».
Timeline
- 1072Built
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
PaternòTrain, nearest
1.8 km as the crow flies
Castello NormannoVia dei Normanni
Aeroporto di Catania Fontanarossa18.7 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore castles in Sicily
Frequently asked questions
Where is Castello Normanno?
Castello Normanno is in Paternò, in the province of Catania (Sicily), Italy. Address: Via dei Normanni. GPS coordinates: 37.56545, 14.89369.
How old is Castello Normanno?
Wikidata dates it to 1072.
What else is there to see near Castello Normanno?
Nearby you’ll find: Palazzo delle arti (100 m away), Palazzo Moncada (200 m away), Palazzo Alessi (300 m 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 5 photos
- Castello normanno paterno — Antonio Caruso at Italian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Normanno - Paternò (1072) — Normangreek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Normanno di Paternò — Normangreek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castello Normanno — Adriano9704, CC BY 3.0
- Paternò - Il Castello - panoramio — giomodica, CC BY 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences