Carini: excursion toward a legendary and thousand-year old castle

A story of passion resulted in a murder. An ancient and majestic manor house which was the silent witness of almost a thousand of years of Sicilian history. There are all the prerequisites to let the excursion toward the castle of Carini, second stage of this journey to discover the castles of Sicily, be unforgettable.

The popular legend

Donna Laura Lanza di Trabia, baroness of Carini, was the wife of don Vicnenzo La Grua-Talamanca. Pursuant to a rumor, never confirmed, the woman had a lover, Ludovico Vernagallo. The only doubt was sufficient for the father of the baroness: with his pride hurt, on 4^th December 1563 he killed his daughter and her lover in a room of the castle of Carini. The happening became a popular legend thanks to a short poem in Sicilian vernacular, L’amaro caso della baronessa di Carini.

The castle

Founded during the reign of Ruggero II between 1075 an 1090, the castle of Carini was repaired and restored several times during its almost millennial history. The majestic building unites different architectural influences, from the Medieval ones to the Arab-Norman ones.

The most characteristic rooms of the castle are three:

• Salone delle derrate, on the ground floor, which was lately transformed in a library: here you can admire two beautiful stone arches that date back to XV century.
• Salone delle feste, on the upper floor: it dates back to XV century, the wooden coffered  ceiling is decorated with stalactite motifs, typical of the Gothic Catalan era.
• From the Salone delle feste you enter in the quadrangular tower, enriched by a mullioned window and encircled with shelves and vegetal decorations.

How to reach

Carini and its famous castle are in the province of Palermo. To reach it starting from this city:

• Take the A29 to Trapani.
• Follow the road signs to Carini
• Take Don Luigi Sturzo street up to the center of Carini and from here follow the road signs to the castle

The trip lasts about half a hour.

Previous stage: castle of Erice | Next stage: Castello a Mare

Image source: Flickr.com/photos/68185114@N08