You will visit Favignana during your next summer vacation. Do you plan to spend one day or a week on this island? In both cases, there is a very fascinating excursion that we strongly recommend: the one that will take you to the castle of Santa Caterina.
- A sort of legend. In ancient times, the island of Favignana was known, by Arab geographers and cartographers, by a very peculiar name: Djazirat ‘ar Rahib. Which means, literally, “the island of the monk”. The origin of the name would be an ancient Norman castle where, as it seems, the monk would have lived. This castle is the castle of Santa Caterina.
- A bit of history. Originally, the castle was a watchtower built in Ninth century. Andrea Rizzo, Lord of Favignana, enlarge it in the Fifteenth century to fight against the Saracens. The Bourbons used the castle as a prison from 1794 to 1860. During the Second World War, artillery units were installed. Today, it is abandoned.
- The castle. The castle of Santa Caterina stands on the top of the homonymous hill, 314 meters high. From there, the fort stands out, imposing and austere.
- How to get there. Santa Caterina mount is located in the centre of the island. From the ex stabilimento Florio delle tonnare di Favignana e Formica (ancient tuna-fishing nets and fish farm), walk along the towards west and then you take a road leading up to the castle.
Image source: GFDL con disclaimer, https://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=652815
