Il castello Ruffo di Amendolea, fortezza medievale

History

Its origins are Norman, for the foundation of the castle is usually attributed to the Norman Riccardo of Amendolea, although it is likely that it may have been developed in several different stages by the various peoples who dominated the area during the late Middle Ages. The castle’s presence during the Norman period is certain, as evidenced from studies on the construction techniques of its oldest elements.

The walls’ analyses also show hammering, confirming that the castle was among those included in demolition works ordered by Frederick II of Swabia in 1230.

Later renovated, in the following centuries the castle was involved in power struggles between local noble families, frequently changing ownership. Among these families were the Amendolea family, after whom the village below the castle was named, and the Ruffo family, who acquired the fief in 1624 and retained its possession until 1806, the same year when the feudal age came to an end.

Three bailiffs of the Ruffo family (A. Rebuffo, F. Polistena, and G. Sangallo) are remembered for the numerous swordfights that took place during the 17th century. The bailiffs were trustees who administered the fief on behalf of the feudal family, behaving like true lords and sometimes committing serious abuses since the feudal family only demanded an annual income. They were surrounded by thugs called “bravos”, especially Albanians but sometimes also Saracens, with whom they maintained control of the territory.

All that remains of the castle today are a few ruins: the perimeter walls, a tower and what must have once been a chapel where the castle’s 300 or so inhabitants went to pray.

The building

A long flight of steps leads up to the castle from the nearby paved road, which was built only very recently. At the entrance, on the right-hand side, there is a huge room that once served as a water tank, an indispensable good and not very easy to provide, although the flow rate of the nearby Amendolea river was much higher than today. The central part of the castle was occupied by a large hall, whose floor is now occupied by grass and rocks; on the wall facing east, three large windows still survive, next to which were alcoves that housed watchmen. From here, the guards could spot enemies long before they reached the top of the castle and thus had time to warn the population.

Surrounding this huge hall are several towers, one of which has a curious feature – its entrance is not on the ground floor, but on the first floor, and it was accessed via a drawbridge. This mechanism was designed to prevent enemies from raiding the tower.

Further south are the dwellings of what was once the Amendolea community, as well as the most important religious building of the site: the protopapal church. Important discoveries have been made inside it, such as a bass-relief that came to light in the 1990s and a small statue depicting the Madonna. Since the small sculpture lacked a head, a left-facing one was recreated in its place. After a few years, the original head, facing right, was found, and the statue, presumably attributed to the Sicilian artist Antonello Gaggini, is now preserved in the new church of Amendolea, that of Sant’Annunziata.

The walls of the castle are made of a paste of boiled sulphur and iron, present in the rocks on which the building stands. Their advantage is that, as time passes, they remain firm, even though the 1783 and 1908 earthquakes and enemy assaults caused extensive damage to the castle structure.