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Località: Isola di Capo Passero - Portopalo di Capo Passero - Siracusa

Fort of Capo Passero

originally belonging to the Crown of Spain, was commissioned by the Deputation of the kingdom for combating the activities of pirates Turkish-barbaresche, very violent at the time on the Capo Passero. The pirates, in fact, the head stocked up on water and sacked the area, taking sometimes in slavery the inhabitants. The yard was actually opened only in 1599 but was already closed the following year, for lack of funds. In July 1600, the Sicilian Parliament managed to collect through tax to the lands of the Kingdom 21,000 scudi, which decreed to offer to King Philip iii of Spain for “fortify the Capo Passero”. The shipyard was therefore reopened in 1603 and completed in 1607. For last, was placed above the entrance portal the real coat of arms, in sandstone. A few days after the completion of the fort, came to visit on 2 October 1607, the viceroy Giovanni Ferdinando Paceco. It maintained its defensive function at least until 1830, when it was used as a military prison. In 1871, was built on the terrace a small lighthouse, the operation of which was secured by staff of the Italian Navy. At the end of the fifties the ignition system of the lighthouse was made automatic: it was thus that he was placed a term also at the service of the guard.

The fort is located on the highest point of the island and rests on a massive portion of that limestone that characterizes the island. The perimeter is a square with sides of 35 meters. The base rises from the campaign plan for 4 meters and has no openings. The upper floor is accessible only through a ramp of stairs, today in the form of L, but originally straight. The scale, located on the east side, is interrupted at a few meters from the entrance door, reachable by a drawbridge. A system of gutters convogliava rainwater inside a cistern, placed at the center of the Court. On the ground floor are fifteen environments, free of openings to the outside, lit only by the openings on the inner court. The corners are square environments with vaults. The remaining spaces are rectangular, with a barrel vault. There is a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Annunciation, while the other sections of this level represented the lodgings of the chaplain and soldiers. On the upper floor are sixteen environments, also virtually free of openings toward the outside, except for eight small windows placed at the four sides of the fort, arranged without research of symmetry. With respect to the distribution of the ground floor, the differences are slight. The environments of the first floor hosted the captain and officers and are disengaged from a balcony supported by large corbels.

The lieutenant Lope Medrano was castellano of strong from 1623 to his death occurred (probably for classical) 1 September 1631. He was buried in the chapel of the fort. Today it is still visible a gravestone which bears his name. It has been rediscovered his testament, written in his own handwriting but incomplete, where Medrano expresses the desire to be buried “sutta the sources of water beneditta”. He was married to the noblewoman netina Dorotea Sortino.

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