Last Updated on 10 February 2025
Introduction
Mussumeli is located between Agrigento and Palermo and is a village of just over 10,000 inhabitants. Its castle was built around 1300 by the Sicilian nobleman Manfredi III Chiaramonte and is one of the most fascinating castles in Sicily . The Manfredonico or Musumei castle is in fact located on an isolated peak, perched at the end of a rock at 778 meters, of which it seems to be part of it. It was built in the fourteenth century on pre-existing Gothic-Swabian structures and modified in the fifteenth century. Let’s now go to discover this magnificent well-preserved castle, which will make you take a dip in the medieval past.
The visit of the castle
The visit of the castle lasts about 1 hour and the cost of the ticket is about 5 Euros including the guided tour.
What to see in the Manfredonic castle
The things to see are many, like the hall of the barons (This is where the Sicilian barons probably met to agree and join forces against the Aragonese, ready to land in Sicily), the room of the three women (The name comes from a legend), the fireplace room (where indeed there is an ancient medieval fireplace), the dining room, the underground room where the handmaids slept, the bedroom, the toilet, and the dungeons with the dungeons and torture chambers. The view from the castle, overMount Etna and the hills and countryside of the Nisso region, is also very beautiful.
The medieval festival
Every year, on August 31 , and on the first and second day of September , a medieval festival takes place in the castle, with typical clothes, games, songs and dances, as if to recall the past.
Curiosities about the castle
I discovered this nice story about the castle by chance and decided to share it on my site. As you can see in the picture below, right under the castle there was a squatter house from the 1970s that defaced the area. However, in 2020 citizen Sebastiano Misuraca, moved by his love for his land decided to buy it only to later demolish it.
I think certain stories should be told, because they also show the beautiful side of Sicily and Sicilians. To Mr. Misuraca goes all my esteem and gratitude.
Ghosts and legends
The Manfredonico castle is also a place of mysteries . In fact, sightings of ghosts by tourists and the keeper himself are told and legends are told such as that of the 3 women, who gave the name to one of the rooms of the castle. It seems that Prince Federico and his three sisters lived in the castle : Clotilde, Margherita and Costanza. The prince had to go to war and decided to put the three women in safety by locking them in a room along with food. The war, however, lasted longer than expected and the poor women starved to death in that room .
Altra leggenda è quella di un giovane soldato spagnolo Guiscardo de la Portas che si innamorò della figlia del barone Manfredi, padrone del castello. Quest’ultimo contrariato dall’affronto decise di rinchiuderlo nel castello e di farlo morire di fame. Il giovane però per fuggire a quella terribile condanna, decise di suicidarsi lanciandosi dalla torre. Da qual giorno il suo fantasma sembra giri ancora nel castello.
Localization and reviews
What to see in the surroundings
The Manfredonico castle is located in the province of Caltanissetta. Here you will find the most beautiful places to visit around Caltanissetta .
Typical dishes of Caltanissetta and surroundings
If you are interested in eating typical dishes in the Caltanissetta area (of which the castle is part) I list you here what to eat in Caltanissetta and surroundings.
Here instead you find the typical Sicilian dishes in general.
