Description of the attraction
Racalmuto, 22 km northeast of Agrigento, is famous for being the birthplace of Leonardo Shasha, a Sicilian writer and astute observer of the 20th century. He is buried in a small local cemetery.
Another attraction in Racalmuto is the ruins of Chiaramonte Castle, located in the city center and marked by two large towers. It was around this castle, built after the Norman conquest of Sicily, that an agricultural settlement grew, which later turned into Racalmuto. The castle was erected during the reign of Baron Roberto Malcovenanto, who was in the service of Roger Hauteville, and Frederic of Aragon later transferred it and the surrounding lands to the possession of Frederic II Chiaramonte. At the beginning of the 14th century, the new owners of the castle turned it into a very impressive structure. With an irregular quadrangle in plan with round towers, massive gates and several additional entrances, the castle is undoubtedly a striking example of military architecture of the Swabian period. On the ground floor, you can see arched doors, balconies and characteristic windows, placed in random order. The left tower retained its original shape, while the right one was restored and is used today as a belvedere. At the beginning of the 20th century, Chiaramonte Castle was declared a national monument.
In the last century, Racalmuto was an important mining center in Sicily, but today the industry is in some decline. But on the other hand, agriculture and tourism are highly developed here. In addition to the castle, the city is worth visiting the Theater of Queen Margaret, built between 1870 and 1880. Accommodating up to 350 people, with two rows of stands, a horseshoe-shaped gallery, an orchestra pit and a spacious stage, it was born as a symbol of the wealth of the noble Racalmuto families, who made their fortune in sulfur mining and hired labor. The theater building stands in the garden of the former convent of Santa Chiara, inside it is decorated with frescoes by Giuseppe Carta, who also created a curtain depicting the Sicilian Vespers, and 12 backdrops by Giuseppe Cavallaro.
