The fort that turned pirate's bay into a playground

Fortezza del Tocco is a fortress in Acireale, Sicily, built between 1592 and 1616 to protect the city from pirate attacks. It does not sit in the bay today; the coastline has shifted since the 17th century, and waves now crash gently against its walls. The fort's role as a defensive bulwark is long over, and it is open to the public. Books and movie from the 60s and 70s depict the interaction between the Spanish and local people focusing mainly on pirates and their deeds. Families now play on what was once a battlefield, a ghost of the past that did not move like the bay.

The Spanish built Fortezza del Tocco to protect the city from notorious pirate Uluç Ali and his crew after the Battle of Lepanto, when Barbary pirates began to plunder the coast of Sicily. After the construction of the fort, Ali's raid on Acireale was a complete failure. Nowadays, visitors gather at the restaurant outside the fort overlooking the sea, enjoying a meal that might have been a risk in the past.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons