Ancient fortress in Val di Noto

Description

The Bruno Fortress is set in the typical vegetation of the Iblea countryside, a romantic and wild land. The smell of the earth, the air, the wind inebriate the senses giving strong emotions. The Fortress is situated in Val di Noto, in Ispica, the ancient Spaccaforno, in c.da Miucia which means “meeting point”, where once was a crossroads of trade from the interior to the sea. During the Byzantine domination, following the pressing pirate invasions of the Arabs, it witnessed ancient and bloody battles that took place in the surrounding countryside. By order of Basilissa Irena of Constantinople, a defense fortification program was built. Among the different types of fortifications there is the current Bruno Fortress. The ancient fiefdom is of extraordinary architectural interest due to the early Arabian traces and the Norman traces later. Today the Bruno Fortress is a unique testimony within the cultural, landscape and historical-architectural landscape of the Iblea area.

REAL ESTATE DESCRIPTION

The wood, the stone, the large rooms, the stylish rooms, the frescoes, the ceramics, the soft architectural lines with the massive arches all combine to embellish the property to make it unique in its kind.
Of its original extension, around 28 hectares are today incorporated into a single body. Among the buildings stands out the Maschio, the ancient watchtower that dates back, most probably, to the period of Arab domination. The buildings and the significant restoration activities are of great architectural interest. In the 4,500 square-meter beam, where the peasants’ activities once took place, stone bases are still visible. The house benefits from a huge terrace on the floor which offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. On approximately 2000 sq.m of ruins, it is possible to build 3,700 sq.m of buildings. On the right side of the main patio there is a large warehouse measuring around 600 sq.m with an interesting truss roof, overlooking another interesting patio on the back, “the average patio” of around 2000 sq.m with a splendid stone drinking trough in the center.