Acquisition and renovation of Rampinzeri Castle

Rampinzeri Castle was built in the homonym contrada, on a hill elevated on the sea level about 500 mt, from where the underlying landscape is controlled.

The most ancient part of the building seems to date back to a period between the end of XV century and the beginning of XVI, as testified by the system of the barrel and cross vaults, still well visible, and by the late medieval foundations  with round arches, on which lay supporting walls.
Developed in successive times, according to the necessities of the agricultural company and the economics availability of owners; it seems never have military functions, apart from that of defense of latifundium.

During 1800 the castle was nobilitated with a neogothic front and the space of the property was organized with a ration approach, closed by the curtain of storage rooms and by the chapel for the religious functions.

Rampinzeri Castle, was mentioned in the famous novel “Il Gattopardo” by Tomasi di Lampedusa; it was the theatre of big military operations of 1937, in which attended the King Vittorio Emanuele III, Prince Umberto I and the duke Amedeo d’Aosta, together with Major State and the head of the govern Mussolini.

The project

Within the scope of project “PIT Alcesti” the Castle and surrounding lands have been bought by the Santa Ninfa Municipality that provided even to the projection and execution of renovation works. Part of Castle is destined to the headquarter of natural reserve Santa Ninfa Cave, managed by Legambiente Sicilia, and in the inner part there are the Visitors Centre and Naturalistic Museum, the Studies Centre on the Karstic, Documentation Centre. 

Renovation work

The decline state of the building required the execution of structural interventions, using non-invasive and materials techniques, compatibles with the building.
Consolidation of arches and rebuilding of the coverage in the “wheat storage room”.
Inner courtyard: before and after the intervention.
Balcony in the principal front: before and after the intervention.
Particular front door in the principal front.