Rufo Ruffo Castle

Scaletta Superiore, Italy

The Rufo Ruffo Castle of Zanclea can easily be seen from the surrounding area. This fortress was built on top of a precipitous hill surrounded by green valleys from where you can overlook out on the sea. There was no architectural design planned therefore the castle was built with limestone rocks arranged in no rigorous way and solely based on the geographical locatio making it a challenge.

The castle was built in the second half of the 13th century by Frederick II as most castles in this area. Lived in by the king himself, then the beautiful explorer and warrior Macalda, the Emperoro Carl V, King Vittorio and mani more till it reached the last owner Antonio Rufo Ruffo, a great art collector of the time.

Inside the Rufo Ruffo Castle of Zanclea there are several objects from some museums of Messina. In particular there are paper documents related to the surrounding territory and the historical information of the castle and the noble families that lived there. The religious medals and medallions as well as the armour collections and marble objects  are just a few of the things you can still see in this castle.

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Address

Via II Grotte 39, Scaletta Superiore, Italy
See all sites in Scaletta Superiore

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

More Information

www.sicily.co.uk

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani (17,3 km)
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User Reviews

Giuseppe Maltese (11 months ago)
Very nice castle, beautiful landscape that can be seen from one of the balconies, eye to the ghost that wanders from time to time ...
Biagio Fiumara (11 months ago)
Beautiful, a unique experience, wonderful views. Trained and friendly staff.
Fabio Neri (12 months ago)
The castle is truly impressive. Kept very well both externally and internally, with many exhibits open bodies to the families that have followed. In addition to the beauty of the castle you will also find a tour guide who will explain the whole history of the castle to you. We were lucky enough to have Ms. Ta Clara who truly transmitted all her passion and emotion to the story. I really recommend it !!! And then the view from there is really priceless !!!!! We did not pay by going on the first Sunday of the month but the cost of the ticket as it is maintained and for the service that is provided is really negligible only 3 euros deserves much more !!! Go and visit this castle because you really won't hang around !!!
Giacomo Fabbri (2 years ago)
Beautiful view of Scilla and the beach from above! Beautiful impact. Admission costs € 2, it's worth spending it!
John Link (2 years ago)
Great historical place found out I am a 6th generation decendent of the nobility of Scaletta Sicily.
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Palazzo Colonna

The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

With his passing, the palace was sacked during feuds, and the main property passed into the hands of the Della Rovere family. It returned to the Colonna family when Marcantonio I Colonna married Lucrezia Gara Franciotti Della Rovere, the niece of pope Julius II. The Colonna"s alliance to the Habsburg power, likely protected the palace from looting during the Sack of Rome (1527).

Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

The main gallery (completed 1703) and the masterful Colonna art collection was acquired after 1650 by both the cardinal Girolamo I Colonna and his nephew the Connestabile Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna and includes works by Lorenzo Monaco, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Palma the Elder, Salviati, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci (painting of The Beaneater), Guercino, Francesco Albani, Muziano and Guido Reni. Ceiling frescoes by Filippo Gherardi, Giovanni Coli, Sebastiano Ricci, and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari celebrate the role of Marcantonio II Colonna in the battle of Lepanto (1571). The gallery is open to the public on Saturday mornings.

The older wing of the complex known as the Princess Isabelle"s apartments, but once housing Martin V"s library and palace, contains frescoes by Pinturicchio, Antonio Tempesta, Crescenzio Onofri, Giacinto Gimignani, and Carlo Cesi. It contains a collection of landscapes and genre scenes by painters like Gaspard Dughet, Caspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli), and Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

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