Castle of Stilo, Norman castle on Monte Consolino, Stilo, Italy

The Castle of Stilo stands on Monte Consolino above Stilo in Calabria. Its walls are built of rough limestone blocks directly on the rock, with triangular towers and circular towers pierced by arrow slits; one tower is called Altavilla. The central area held a chapel with a main altar and four side altars, and a cistern beneath the building collected rainwater through terracotta pipes and facing tiles.

The castle is first documented on 7 May 1093, when Count Roger granted a site between Arena and the town of Stilo to Saint Bruno. In the 13th century it was one of seventeen Calabrian castles administered by the Reale Curia under Charles I of Anjou and also served as a prison; repairs are recorded in 1281. On 14 April 1323 the Duke of Calabria granted the Castellania of Stilo to Marco, Baron of Settingiano, and his descendants.

Local legend tells that in 982 the Arab caliph Ibrahim ibn Ahmad besieged the castle and tried to starve it out. The defenders threw ricotta made from the milk of new mothers at the enemy camp, convincing the Arabs that food was plentiful; the caliph fell ill after tasting it and his nephew Gabir withdrew. The spot where the ricotta fell is still called Vinciguerra.

Two trails lead up: one starts near the Cattolica church and follows the fourteen Stations of the Cross, with three rest areas with benches; the other begins near Stilo Cemetery, is wider and less steep, and narrows to single file before a fork where the right path opens onto the castle forecourt. The first route was no longer maintained as of 2020 and was in poor condition halfway up. A small monorail built in 2015–2016 was never tested or opened.

Records from 1323 show the fortress passed to noble Marco Contestabile, who became Baron of Settingiano and established a family lineage tied to the castle. His descendants held control of the stronghold for generations, weaving their family story into its later history.