Butera

The principality of Butera, now in the province of CaltanissettaOf ancient origin, Caltanissetta has linked its name to the Moncada of Paternó, the powerful aristocratic family who ruled the city for more than four centuries, until the date of the abolition of feudalism in Sicily (1812). Like other cities in Sicily, Caltanissetta also was involved in an revolt against the Savoys in 1718, only to pass, a few years later, as the rest of Sicily, under Bourbon rule., was acquired by the family in 1540. The castle, a structure of the ninth century, still stands at Butera, having had, above all, a defensive function but adapted as a noble residence in the sixteenth century. Inside the fort there was a courtyard, several warehouses, armories, deep and spacious stables and warehouses. A tower and facilities covered by cross vaults remains of the old structure, while the large courtyard, enclosed within the walls of the castle, is now used as a public square.

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