Automatically translated from Italian.
Located in the heart of Sulcis Iglesiente, just four kilometers from Siliqua, a medieval fortress breaks the line of the horizon. The castle of Acquafredda has dominated the Cixerri valley for over eight hundred years from a lonely volcanic hill. Walls of dark stone, guelph apples and a watchtower that challenges time resist to the passing of the centuries. Yet, the history and legend of the castle of Acquafredda go far beyond its ruins. They feel in the silence of the path, until that name the siliquesi still give to the lower structure: tower de s'impicadroxiu, the tower of the hanging.
The cursed count and the Divine Comedy
A papal bubble of 1215 certifies the manor as already existing. The name that has always tied this rock to the myth, however, is that of Ugolino della Gherardesca. The noble Pisan became lord of southwestern Sardinia in 1257, choosing Acquafredda as a strategic baluardo. From here he was watching commercial routes and accessing Iglesias with its very rich silver mines.
Everyone knows the end of Ugolino, but often we forget the connection with this earth. Treated by allies in Pisa, the count ended up locked up in the Tower of the Muda where hunger consumed his life in 1289. Dante Alighieri transformed that agony into eternal poetry in the XXXIII chant of Hell, placing it in the deepest rafts. Immortal truths that seem to resound still today among the ravens of this Sardinian fortress.
The Revenge and the Tower of the Hang
Ugolino's death caused revenge in Sardinia. The children left on the island, Guelph and Lotto, gathered the soldiers and waged war on the Pisan Republic to avenge his father. During the clashes, they captured Vanni Gubetta, vicar of Archbishop Ruggieri, and executed him. The remains of the guard tower were built as a warning: the name tower de s'impicadroxiu was born.
The flame of revenge lasted little. In 1294 the Pisans besieged Iglesias and captured Guelph. To have him alive, his brother Lotto ceded the castle of Acquafredda to the Republic of Pisa, forever closing the epic of the Gherardesca in Sardinian land.
The ghost of the Castle of Acquafredda: between treasures and souls in pain
Like every medieval fortress, Acquafredda also guards its secrets. The most famous legend, handed down to Siliqua, tells that on storm nights, when the wind blows strong among the ruins of the mastius, it feels the lament of a soul in pain. He is the ghost of Guelph of the Gherardesca, condemned to wander among the dark stones for never finding peace after the loss of the manor.
The local folklore also tells of an immense treasure in gold and silver coins hidden in the underground, accumulated at the time of mining. Legend has it that it is protected by a curse: whoever tries to dig will see the riches turn into cold lava stone.
How to visit the castle of Acquafredda today
Today the site is an extraordinary archaeological park. The original nucleus remains at 256 meters high and the guard tower. The castle is open every day from 10:00 to 19:00 (last entrance at 18:00). The route develops along a path equipped with didactic panels, perfect for an autonomous visit. At the foot of the hill, a forest of eucalyptus with picnic area offers the perfect shade to rest.
Those who visit Acquafredda can match the stop at the nearby castle of Gioiosa Guardia in Villamassargia and the Valle del Cixerri. Touching these naked stones means dealing with the darkest and most authentic part of the Sardinian Middle Ages.
Sources: castellodiacquafredda.com, sardegnaturismo.it, icastelli.it, sardegnalive.net, estateinsardegna.it, comune. siliqua.ca.it, sabapca. bencultural.it, travel-experience. it