Castello al Mare – Castle by the sea is one of the attractions of Palermo, about which they know very few tourists, and the locals are in no hurry to tell. In truth, from the castle little remains only the ruins of the entrance gate, part of a massive round tower and traces of the fortress moat. Castello al Mare is located approximately in the middle of the way between the Bay of Cala and main port of the city, at the end of via Cavour.

Generally, Palermo is famous for its castles and fortified medieval buildings – among the most impressive you can call Castellucio, STERI, Palazzo dei Normanni, Zizu and Cuba. There is a similar fortress and in other regions of Sicily in Syracuse, Milazzo, Caccamo and Mussomeli. However, it is Castello al Mare has a very special history. In the years of Arab rule on the island it was a seaside fortress that defended the slave quarter outside the city Balarm. However, in the 1071 battle of the year, led to the conquest of Sicily by the Normans, the castle did not participate. In 1081 beside it was built an Orthodox Church of St. Peter, is dedicated to Robert Guiscard and his wife Sichelgaita. Today in the Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo can be seen engraved on the stone inscription, commemorating their patronage over the city.

The Normans greatly expanded Castello al Mare, added a round tower, is quite similar to the tower of Windsor Castle in London. In the 12th century by Frederick II around the castle was dug a moat, and so in the years of the Spanish domination in Sicily Castello al Mare remained the main seaside fortress of Palermo. Unfortunately, numerous local revolts during the movement for the unification of Italy in 1860 and the following years led to the destruction of the greater part of the castle – the citizens were dismantled its walls to build their houses nearby. What remained of the once formidable fortress was abandoned. Only the structure was partially restored in recent years, but today here is rarely allowed visitors.