The Norman tower at Motta Sant'Anastasia rises from a sheer basalt plug in a way that makes it immediately apparent why this rock was fortified in the first place — the view from the base encompasses the entire Simeto plain, the approaches from Catania, and on clear days the summit of Etna. It is one of the most photogenic Norman towers in Sicily.
The tower itself dates from the late 11th century and is largely intact, though not always open for interior visits. The approach on foot from the town centre passes through narrow medieval streets. The basalt rock formation on which it sits is itself remarkable — a volcanic remnant that protrudes from the flat agricultural plain in a way that would have made it unmistakably valuable as a military position.