Castle of the Gresti or Pietratagliata

The Gresti or Pietratagliata Castle is one of the most evocative and fascinating places in Central Sicily. It is located in the territory of Aidone (EN) precisely in contrada Gresti, almost in the center of the triangle that joins Aidone, Valguarnera and Raddusa. Its origin is not well defined, the earliest documented historical information dates back to the 14th century. All that remains today are ruins, yet the structure of the fortress remains identifiable thanks to its mighty tower and a series of ingrown rooms. Dating back to the 14th century, the castle is the protagonist of a legend portrayed on some silver coins found in the late 19th century. On the coins in question, in fact, the figure of a galloping horseman was clearly distinguishable, who apparently had had the running gift of reading and interpreting the Latin inscription of the epigraph at the top of the highest lintel of an ogival window of the Sicilian castle.

The castle ruins are still privately owned and have been left to neglect and abandonment for many decades.