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HISTORY
Inhabited since prehistoric times, the Castle encloses between its walls the whole history of the Mediterranean. Recent excavations have brought to light finds dating back to the IV century B. C., confirming the presence of Greeks explorers in the site, a territory inhabited by the Sicani by that time.
The primal tower, dated as a Bizantine work, was then used by the Arabs during their domination of Sicily (827-1091 ad. ) when it was enlarged and fortified. The site’s name origin comes form the Arabs: Kalata-Bian or ”castle of Biano”, likely its first governor or lord. The fortress underwent to first face of attacks during the battle of the Arabs for the conquest of Taormina in 902.
The Castle was a strongly strategic point during the power struggles for the control of the surrounding territory during the subsequent Norman and Swabian kingdoms.
However, it was during the Kingdom of the Aragoneses, especially under the barony of the Cruyllas family, when the fortress lived its period of maximum splendour. This family, native from Catalonia, arrived in Sicily in 1282 during the mandate of King Peter of Aragon. In 1393 the army of King Martin conquered the castle of Calatabiano, to establish in the Baronia a powerful and loyal lordship as it was the Cruyllas baron. The family maintained the castle for about a century, giving peace and splendour to those new possessions. Later, it will be under the Gravina-Cruyllas family, Princes of Palagonia, having for centuries the feudal land of Calatabiano.
After this flourishing period, the terrible earthquake in 1693 destroyed the buildings and collapsed all the covers and structures of the castle. Only the central builiding with its two towers and the perimeter walls resisted. It was, in this way, deprived of all military or housing function. Therefore, it began a decadence period coming up to present days.
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