The Norman Castle of Gerace, positioned right at the top of the rocky amber around which the village developed, was built during the 7th century AD, and its existence is evidenced as early as the 10th century AD when it was devastated, mainly by earthquakes, along with the town by the Byzantines.
Its renovation and fortification took place with the coming of the Normans, around 1050. Especially interesting are the remains of the imposing central keep, with a cylindrical plan, long monolithic plinths and walls made of megalithic blocks.
Surrounded by mighty defensive walls, it possessed ingenious systems for channeling rainwater, which flowed into the large central well. Within the castle area there was also a small Byzantine oratory with an apse enriched with valuable pictorial decorations and which remained functional until the 17th century.
In addition, the castle was equipped with a drawbridge that opened on the eastern side of the fortress, a large hall of arms, called the Hall of Miletus, a beautiful inner courtyard with a large colonnade, and numerous other rooms used for all functions. Especially interesting are the clearly visible remains of the castle’s imposing cylindrical central keep, long monolithic plinths, and walls made of megalithic blocks from the Gerace cliff.