Caltabellotta, Italy

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Its fantastic situation on the slopes of the strangely-shaped mountain of the same name, which reaches a height of 950m/3,117ft, is what distinguishes this tiny town in the countryside behind Sciacca, not far from the south coast.

History

In ancient times the Sikel town of Triocala was situated here. During the second Slaves' War (104-99 B.C.), being one of the main centers of the insurgents, it was turned into a secure royal fortress by Salvius Tryphon, but later captured by the Romans and destroyed. In its place the Arabs founded the fortified town of Qalat-al-Ballut (fortress of the oaks) in the ninth century and it is from this name that the town's present-day one is derived. In 1090 the Normans under Roger I took over the Arabian castle. In 1194 Sybilla, widow of the last Norman king Tancredi, in vain sought refuge here with her children from Emperor Henry VI. On 19th April 1302 peace between Anjou and Aragon was declared: Anjou renounced Sicily - of which it had in any case lost control after the Sicilian Vespers of 1288 - in favor of Frederick III of Aragon, the stepson of Frederick II's son Manfred.