Casteddu Etzu – Italy - Atlas Obscura

Casteddu Etzu

The ruins of a hilltop castle which is haunted by the ghosts of a child and his nanny. 

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About 4/5  of the way along the amazing SP19 route between Santu Lussurgio and Cugliari in Sardinia, high on a hill above the road, is the castle known  as Casteddu Etzu.

The fortress was initially used to observe approaching enemies and as a defensive  structure and as a prominant seat of power. In that role it was additionally used as an important centre for negotiation. Later becoming  primarily a luxury home the castle was also used as a place of refuge but fell out of use after a family tragedy.

The castle, sat at the summit of a basaltic hill within the Montiferru  massif, just over three kilometres from Cuglieri. It was built by Ittocorre Barisone, brother of the head of state  at the time, to  control the southern boundary of the Judicate of Torres. It is known through documentary evidence to have already existed in 1196, and that  it became a possession of the judicate of Arborea during the 13th century. Following the Aragonese conquest of Sardinia, when it lost its defensive function  (and became a residence), it was  ceded to the, aristocratic, Spanish, Zatrillas family in the fifteenth century.

This resulted in the castle becoming a place of refuge for  Donna Francesca, Countess of Cuglieri, who was the  young and, reportedly, unhappy wife of the Marquis of Laconi. Following accusations of being involved, along with her lover, in both the murder of her husband and in a plot against Viceroy Camarassa, the countess took refuge in the castle in 1668.

When she discovered that a commissioner, at the head of a thousand mounted troops, was en route from Oristano to arrest her, she managed to escape  to the west coast of the island, where she took ship and never again returned to Sardinia.

The property was confiscated by the Aragonese Crown and sold to a nobleman from Cagliari, but within a few years it was permanently abandoned.

It is said that the ruins are haunted by two ghosts. Following a violent robbery and attack on  the family of the last owner who were ambushed at the property the youngest son and his nurse initially survived, by hiding in the basement.  However, they were fatally trapped and starved to death. This led to the story that the castle was haunted. It is said that at night, the lullabies that the nurse sang to the child can  be heard.

Currently it is still possible to see the traces of the castle’s perimeter walls and the remains of  watchtowers and basements, which probably served as a water cistern. There is also an unusual  ampitheatre which seems to have been constructed  after the building  became, primarily, a residence. 

The building, which had an elongated footprint, along the ridge of the hill,was constructed mainly  with square blocks of basalt and local limestone, but bricks were also used in parts of the lower level. From the top of the hill, you have a 360-degree view of the Montiferru massif  with fantastic views, all the way to the coast and int surrounding valleys.

A very large cross has been erected to overlook the road and on approach the initial impression  is one of a religious  structure with its military role becoming more prominent as one gets closer.

Know Before You Go

A small parking lot is available  on the SP19 from which you can get a really  good view of the castle but to get up close significant, uphill, walk is required.


Whilst the castle itself is a very impressive site the drive or ride from Santu Lussurgio on the SP19 would be worth the trip even if castles  were not your thing. This steep and winding road provides some of the best views in Sardinia. On a motorcycle, exciting, on a pedal bike, a significant  challenge.