Castle of Inici

Inici Castle is located on the southern slope of Monte Inici in the territory of the municipality of Castellammare del Golfo. In the 16th century, it was owned by the Sanclemente family, barons of Inici. Like the Barony of Baida, this also fell within the territory of San Giuliano (Erice). The Inici locality, presumably inhabited for millennia, was characterized by a defensive nucleus since the 11th century. Certain information about Inici Castle is linked to the visit of Charles V of Habsburg in 1535. The castle also served as a stopover for those heading towards Trapani or Palermo. In the 17th century, the Jesuits took possession of the castle, expanding the property with a second courtyard, stables, and warehouses. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the castle passed to the Cardillo family and then to the Alliata barony. Until the early years of Italian unification, Inici Castle was the center of the hamlet, where a barracks, a school, and a post office were located. Unfortunately, the earthquake of 1968 caused several damages. The castle included a chapel and a defensive tower, the latter partially collapsed in 1998. The external defensive walls and some rooms of the castle remain, including the stuccoes and frescoes of the chapel, created by Domenico La Bruna in 1738, now preserved at the Matrice di Castellammare.