Forza d'Agrò Castle

Forza d'Agrò Castle, locally known as Castello di Forza d'Agrò, lies in the town of the same name, in the Messina province on the island of Sicily in Italy.

Not much is known about the history of Forza d'Agrò Castle. In 1117, during the rule of the Normans, there is mention of the founding of a monastery in the village. The castle was probably also built around that time or not much later in the 12th century. It was probably built on the site of an ancient Greek or Roman fortification.

In the 16th century the castle is already described as being ruinous. But in 1595 the castle underwent major reconstruction works, according to a stone commemorating this, which is still present above the present gate.

In the mid-18th century however the castle was again described as "the remains of an old fortification". In the second half of the 19th century, a church was built inside the castle and from 1876 until 1989 the castle terrain was used as a village cemetery.

In the beginning of the 20th century the castle ruins were also used as a quarry for building materials by the locals.

On a small outcrop in front of the castle there is a small kind of lookout tower which you can enter and from where you can just see Sant'Alessio Castle below, with who it formed a defensive system during the Norman rule of Sicily.

At present Forza d'Agrò Castle is closed and can not be visited. Too bad.

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