Barbican - The town of Pantelleria's main landmark is the Castello Barbacane. It is probably built over a Byzantine blockhouse and later enlarged, demolished and re-built on a number of occasions. It owes its present 12th century Norman appearance to Frederick II of Swabia, and served as a bastion that defended the port and the town entrance over many centuries. Prior to modern sanitation, the ancient inhabitants of the town used the aria behind the castle as a toilet, leading to the local slang of any dirty or messy place being labelled as varvacani. Nowadays, it forms a more tidy backdrop for wedding photos.
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Varvacani (Pantescan)
Barbican - The town of Pantelleria's main landmark is the Castello Barbacane. It is probably built over a Byzantine blockhouse and later enlarged, demolished and re-built on a number of occasions. It owes its present 12th century Norman appearance to Frederick II of Swabia, and served as a bastion that defended the port and the town entrance over many centuries. Prior to modern sanitation, the ancient inhabitants of the town used the aria behind the castle as a toilet, leading to the local slang of any dirty or messy place being labelled as varvacani. Nowadays, it forms a more tidy backdrop for wedding photos.
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