Description of the attraction
Castello Eurialo Castle is located 7 km northwest of Syracuse in the Belvedere area. The road leading to the castle makes it possible to imagine the scale of the defensive fortifications erected in the city during the reign of Dionysius the Elder. In addition to the fortifications on the island of Ortigia, this talented strategist decided to build a wall around the entire settlement, including the areas of Tycha and Naples, which were previously located at some distance from the center of Syracuse and could be easily attacked.
Between 402 and 397 BC Dionysius the Elder ordered the construction of an impressive 27-kilometer wall, which received his name, along the perimeter of the high plateau of Epipola. The fortifications consisted of two parallel walls, built of rectangular limestone blocks, and reached 10 meters in height and 3 meters in width. Secret doors were made along the entire perimeter of the walls at an equal distance from each other, which allowed the flow of people back and forth without creating congestion, and provided an opportunity for observation at any suspicion of an attack.
At the highest point of the plateau (120 meters above sea level), the castle of Castello Euriale, which had an important strategic location, towered. Its name comes from the name of the cape on which it stands and which resembles in its shape the head of a nail (“eurialos” in Greek). This castle is one of the most impressive defensive structures built by the Greeks and extant since antiquity. The center of the fortress is surrounded by three moats following each other, connected by labyrinths of underground passages, which allowed the garrisons to operate independently. So, for example, with the help of underground tunnels, it was possible to quickly remove from the moat any set on fire, thrown by the enemy, even before it could harm the entire structure. And if the enemy did get here, he would be immediately disoriented.
Today the entrance to the castle is located on the site of the first moat 6 meters long and 4 meters deep. A little further, there is a second deep trench about 50 meters long, framed by vertical walls, and immediately behind it - a third one, 17 meters long and 9 meters deep. Putting it all together, it is a real Chinese puzzle. Three high square pillars at the third moat suggest that there was once a drawbridge that provided access to the interior of the castle. The eastern side is literally dotted with communicating passages, one of which - about 200 meters long - leads to the crenellated gates of the castle and the exit from it. And the western side is equipped with various underground rooms in which weapons and uniforms were kept. Behind the moat is a square tower, inside of which three square cisterns can be seen. From the far corner of the tower there was an excellent view of Syracuse and the plain below.
After the conquest of Sicily by the Romans in 212 BC. Castello Euriale was used for various purposes and was partially rebuilt during the Byzantine era.
