The Norman castle, built around 1056-57 by Ruggiero with materials taken from nearby Greek temples. The fortress stands on the highest part of the hill system on which the city rests. In the Middle Ages the city was an important crossroads; if on the one hand this peculiarity caused a series of invasions and damages, on the other hand it allowed it to acquire a considerable political prestige.
To the octagonal tower of Ruggiero, Frederick II then added four bastions later reinforced by the Angevins. Transformed into a ducal palace, the mighty building suffered considerable damage during the earthquake of 1783.
The monumental complex, after the demolitions and restorations carried out by the Genius in 1858-59, was first used as the residence of the Guardia del Genio as a garrison of the Guardia di Finanza. Restored since the early ’70s by the Superintendence of Environmental, Architectural, Artistic and Historical Heritage of Calabria, since 1995 it houses the Archaeological Museum.
