The Castle of Aci is placed on a rocky hill in front of the sea, Catania province. The strategic position permitted the control and the defense of a big part of the coast.The origins of the fortress probably date back to a period  between 1071 and 1081, corresponding with Ruggero of Altavilla’s arrive and the Norman power in Sicily. Afterwards the Castle was entrusted to bishops untill 1239. After the eruption in 1169, when the lava flow filled the distance between the rock where the castle was and the coast, making unusable the lift bridge, the castle had many owners and was reorganized a lot of times. During Borbones reign, in XVI century, it became a prison and went through a long bright period. But the earthquakes in 1693 and in 1818 caused it weighty damages. Since 1900, the castle was used as storage and in 1968 it was restored. From 1985 it is the place of the “Civic Museum” which is inside. Today the municipality has the property of the castle and it is possible to visit the ruins, the square plant tower, the lancet arches and a little chapel called “Byzantine” because of the ruins of an internal fresco which paints the consignment to the bishop of Sant’Agata’s relics. Aci Castello can be reached from Catania, driving the S.S. 114 Catania-Messina.