Fortfying pre-existing structures: tower houses and fortified enceintes, in Garofalo E, Scaduto F, Fortified Palaces in Early Modern Sicily. Models, Image Strategy, Functions

Abstract

In early modern Sicily the extra-urban fortified residence was a limited but important architectural phenomenon. Starting from the last decades of XV century previous residential buildings, especially towers, were in some cases renewed by the introduction of a surrounding fortified perimeter with bastions (i.e. Donjon of Adrano; tower of Migaido). The paper presents a sequence of examples most representative of the architectural phenomenon, specially focusing on the models in use; the intertwining between residential and military needs in the conformation of inside and outside spaces; finally, the relation between image strategy and practical function.