The Fortino di Mazzallakkar is a ruined Arab fort in Sambuca di Sicilia,

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. It is located near Lago Arancio, and is partially submerged by its waters for six months of every year.

History

The Fortino di Mazzallakkar was built by the

Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...

in around 830 AD, possibly to defend the territory around Sambuca di Sicilia, which was then known as Zabut. The fort was still in good condition until the mid-20th century, and it was used as a shelter for sheep and cattle. In the 1950s, the Carboj dam was built, causing the flooding of Lago Arancio. The fort is located at the edge of the lake, and is partially submerged around 6 months of the year. This has caused a lot of damage to the fort. The fort is privately owned, and can be visited on request.

Layout

The fort originally had a square shape, with a circular tower on each corner. The towers had

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

domes and were equipped with slits. The walls were up to high.

References

{{reflist Mazzallakkar Ruins in Italy Buildings and structures in the Province of Agrigento Buildings and structures completed in the 9th century