Nebrodi Trekking: Nelson’s Castle

Trekking in the Nebrodi mountains: discover the land of Nelson

Along the Sentiero delle Sorgenti we venture out to discover the land of Nelson. Here we visit Nelson’s Castle, which is large house within the Nebrodi national park, Nelson’s Obelisk, Petrosino Wood and refuges within the forest.

Nelson’s Castle stands on the boundary separating Bronte and Maniace, in an area known as the Duchy of Nelson. It would be more correct to call it the Abbey of Santa Maria of Maniace, given the building began as a Benedictine Monastery in the thirteenth century.

Queen Margarita built this great temple to the Madonna and what remains today is the nave, a wonderful Gothic/Norman portico and a Byzantine icon, which according to legend was built by Saint Luke. Behind the church, in what were the storehouses, excavations have brought to light the apse of the Norman building. It is also possible to see two small medieval towers and a large English style park.

Little remains of the ancient castle, other than these towers and part of the old wall because the building was changed by Nelson’s heirs for accommodation or agricultural purposes. However it can be visited and some objects belonging to the admiral are exhibited. In the interior courtyard there is a Celtic cross dedicated to Nelson while in the park there is a small cemetery, where a black lava-stone Celtic cross stands out, marking the grave of the Scottish poet William Sharp.

Today this site is a museum.