Fodor's Expert Review Castello Svevo

Castello Normanno Svevo crowns Pancrazio Hill above the old city, and the uphill walk rewards with wonderful views across to the Sila Mountains. Its origins are lost to memory: it may have been built by the Byzantines or the Saracens, and, before he was ousted by Normans, it was the residence of the Arab caliph Saati Cayti. What is known is that the castle takes its name from the great Swabian emperor Frederick II (1194–1250), who added two octagonal towers. Although extensively restored and open to the public, with audio guide/tablet tours (€1–€2) and occasional cultural events, the castle shows the ravages of successive earthquakes and a lightning strike that ignited gunpowder once stored within.