The castle of Gresti or Pietratagliata is located near the village of Aidone. Its current condition is that of ruin even if well legible in the forms that are composed mainly of a mighty tower full and a series of rooms ingrottate. The first historical news documented dating back to the 14th century. The castle stands on a high rocky ridge of sandstone. The central part, the spur higher, has been used by man for its strategic position as a control station and defense. In fact the castle constitutes an outpost or a fortress of sighting for the control of a vast territory, connoted by important streets of communications which from the eastern coast is addentravano toward the center of Sicily dominated by settlements which Morgantina, Enna, Agira.
The structure extends over four levels: on the first level, which is also the oldest to be found in the rural houses and a large cave which opens with a loggia south and with a window and loggia and north. At the second level from which also begins the tower full and part the scale dug in the rock, there are two local: an input and a room with window delimited by benches in masonry. At the third level, the second floor where you find the environments 'noble' representation, there are four rooms dug in the rock and other in masonry. The fourth level is present an environment with entrance portal which would suggest a chapel and a cistern to collect rainwater. A mention deserves the high tower full, firmly anchored to the rock, visible at large distances. Has walls from compact surfaces, underlined by sharp built in blocks of stone perfectly squared; access to the terrace of the tower was allowed by a beautiful spiral staircase, with steps of basalt, placed in the corner of the south-east.
For the structure and for some particular aspects, the castle may not have had the function of an aristocratic residence, but was certainly a fortress of sighting within the valley of Gornalunga that, from the earliest times, has made a connection between the Ionic coast and the interior. The presence of numerous castles like (some today recognizable only by the toponymy) suggests plausible to assume that the castle had inserted inside a network of optical signals, defined anciently fani or fires, which allowed to rapidly transmit a signal even at a great distance.
References:The castle of La Iruela, small but astonishing, is located on the top of a steep crag in Sierra de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. From the castle, impressive views of the surrounding area and of the town can be enjoyed.
The keep dates from the Christian era. It has a square base and small dimensions and is located at the highest part of the crag.
There are some other enclosures within the tower that create a small alcázar which is difficult to access.
In a lower area of the castle, protected with defensive remains of rammed earth and irregular masonry, is an old Muslim farmstead.
After a recent restoration, an open-air theater has been built on La Iruela castle enclosure. This theater is a tribute to the Greek and Classic Eras and holds various artistic and cultural shows throughout the year.
The first traces of human activity in La Iruela area are dated from the Copper Age. An intense occupation continued until the Bronze Age.
Originally, La Iruela (like Cazorla) was a modest farmstead. From the 11th century, a wall and a small fortress were built on the hill to protect the farmers.
Around 1231, don Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada, Archbishop of Toledo, conquered La Iruela and made it part of the Adelantamiento de Cazorla. Over the Muslim fortress, the current fortress was built.
Once the military use of the fortress ended, it was used as cemetery.