Vincenzo Girasoli
5. THE LEGEND OF ZISA CASTLE
The castle of the Zisa is full of esoteric references thanks to its distinctive mix of Moorish and Norman art and architecture. On the ceiling of Fontana’s Hall there is a fresco depicting a group of devils – can you count them all? According to a legend, counting their exact figure would reveal the position of a hidden treasure: a casket full of gold coins of which these devils are believed to be the guardians. Who hid this casket? To whom did it belong? The complete legend says that two lovers, Azel Comel and El-Aziz took shelter in Palermo on their run from the wrath of the girl’s father. Here, they built the Zisa castle, where they lived for the rest of their short lives and entrusted their treasure – the golden coins – to the little devils on the ceiling of the hall. These demons are so devoted to their task that they would exchange position every now and then, so as to confuse the greedy seeker of the booty. Trying to sort them out on 25th March is said to be particularly tricky, for witnesses had recounted that on this day, the demons’ mouths and tails would start to move. Continue reading clicking the below button Next >
