| What to visit - Alcamo
Alcamo is full of churches. The most of them are pleasant examples of Sicilian baroque architecture that inside preserve sculptures, paintings, stuccos and frescos of great value. Particularly, we mention the Basilica of Our Mary of the Assumption (Basilica di Maria SS. Assunta)) that dominates the main square of the town. Built in 1332, it was enlarged and modified several times to get its present aspect only in the XVIII century. Its Latin cross plan is divided into three naves, separated by red marble, extracted by Mount Bonifato, columns. The Flemish paintings of Borremans and some works by Antonello Gangini, artist lived between 1400 and 1500, are preserved here. The most flourishing age of Alcamo is testified by the magnificent Castle of the Counts of Modica (Castello dei Conti di Modica). It was built in the half of the fourteenth century by will of the Chiaramonte family. It had different owners in times, the last of which were the Caprera family, Counts of Modica, the castle is named after. It has a rhomboidal plan and a perimeter marked by four towers, alternating two cylindrical and two quadrangular ones. Wonderful are the double and the triple lancet windows in Gothic-catalan style. At few kilometres from the town, on a rocky tableland, the Castle of Calatubo (Castello di Calatubo), existing since the end of the year 1000, is well visible. Around the firm fortress a community probably lived, but it leaved the village during the war of Frederick II against the Arabs. During the centuries differently used, still today it is in good condition.
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