Castello di Castelmola: a stronghold of the Peloritana defensive chain

The fortification, with its irregular layout, dominated the castrum Molae during the Roman period. Ruggero I of Sicily built a new castello called Mola after conquering Taormina, erecting a small church of the Santissima Annunziata nearby as a thank-offering to the Madonna. Affiliated with nobles faithful to the rulers of Sicily, the site supported the Hohenstaufen against the Angioini until 1282. During the Vespro Siciliano, it rebelled against the Angioini to side with the Aragonese dynasty.

Under Federico III and his son Pietro II of Sicily, the building was surrounded by walls and made inaccessible to serve as a fortress and prison for Taormina. In 1353, Michele da Piazza described the castello di Mola as of ancient foundation, and in 1419, Pietro Forni served as its castellano. A 9th-century Greek-Byzantine inscription on a marble slab at the city's cathedral mentions that the castle was built under Constantine, a patrician and strategist of Sicily.

An emblem above the entrance arch bears the inscription "Castello fedele a Sua Maestà - anno 1578", referring to the ruler Filippo II of Spain. By 1637, the castle was administered civilly by the city of Taormina before being sold as a marquisate. The fortress was also occupied by French contingents following repeated clashes with Spanish troops between 1673 and 1678. Today, the castle hosts a "Falconeria", where spectators can see the acrobatic feats of large birds of prey.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons