Sperlinga is a pretty little town in the Sicilian hinterland.
Located between the Park of the Nebrodi and the Park of the Madonie, about 50 km from Enna, Sperlinga is one of the places in Sicily that deserve much attention from visitors: an ancient village of medieval origin it is characterized by its castle, entirely excavated in the rock, as well as some civil construction.
The town’s name, derived from the Greek Cavern (cave), is due to the attitude of the local population that worked their residences directly into the bare stone.
The Castle of Sperlinga
The real attraction of Sperlinga is its rock castle. Built in ancient times by indigenous peoples, it is one of the most exciting rock-cut architectures in the national and international level.
A once impregnable fortress with a drawbridge, it retains all its charm: you can still visit the stables, prisons, and those areas devoted to the many blacksmiths, as well as a number of places of worship.
The top of the castle is reached through a narrow but impressive staircase consisting of 80 steps, which is also carved into the rock. Placed in the walkway are military weapons used to repel the assaults on the castle (as well as the tanks used to channel rainwater). From here you can enjoy an extraordinary view of the greenery of this part of Sicily.
The Caves of Sperlinga
The caves of Sperlinga or rock Borgo are areas of the city characterized by numerous cave dwellings, probably dating back to prehistoric times. Inhabited until the early sixties, today they are partly to visit and used by small local museums, in which are exposed farm tools.
Via Valle is another very suggestive part of the countryside, where the buildings of recent construction are mixed with caves forming a wonderfully unusual site.
Historical Background of Sperlinga
The small village of Sperlinga has little information regarding its foundation and its ancient period. In medieval times, its mighty castle was exploited by the Normans as a fortress, as well as its strategic roads, whose routes linked central Sicily to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
During the Revolt of the Vespers of 1282, the city became crucial to the fate of Sicily: the French Angevin dynasty in fact, managed to find shelter from the riots of the Sicilian population only in the fortress of Sperlinga.
It was the army of Peter of Aragon, the following year that stormed the castle rock. In the following centuries, Sperlinga linked its name to the powerful family of Ventimiglia, who sold the estate and the Castle, in 1597, to John Strong Natoli, first prince of Sperlinga.