The prison under the castle

Castello Eufemio is a medieval castle located on a hill west of the town of Calatafimi Segesta, in the province of Trapani, Sicily. It was initially one of the fortified sites placed to defend and control access to Segesta. Documented written references to Castello Eufemio begin in the mid-12th century, when the Arab-Sicilian geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi described it as an 'ancient castle' with a 'populated town'. In the 13th century, it was one of Emperor Frederick II’s imperial castles used against Muslim rebels.

It was probably restored during this time and served as the domain of the feudal lords of Calatafimi and their governors. In 1282, during the Revolt of the Vespers, Castello Eufemio probably housed its feudal lord Guglielmo Porcelet. Guglielmo Porcelet, loved by his subjects, was spared and sent safely to Provence with his family. From 1282 to 1868, Castello Eufemio served as a military post and prison. Visitors can still see scratches on the walls of some cells in Castello Eufemio.

A second floor, likely the actual residential area, rises to the left of the cells in Castello Eufemio. There are large cisterns for rainwater on the west side of Castello Eufemio.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons