After the ouster of the Genoese podestà in 1323, the Sassaresi entered into an alliance with Barcelona. Soon the citizens showed their discontent with the new rulers, which led to the first rebellions between 1324 and 1326. In June 1326 hostilities ended with the signing of peace and three thousand alfonsini liras were paid to the Aragonese to finance the construction of a castle in order to control the city. The fortification was probably completed in 1331. When its military function ceased, it became the seat of the Inquisition from 1564. The fortress was completely demolished between 1877 and 1880 to make way for the “La Marmora” barracks. Between the mid-1400s and 1503 the barbican was built, a new defensive structure within the moat under the castle’s facade, functional for defense and attack with the new firearms. Archaeological excavations have unearthed its entire structure, consisting of two overlapping corridors about 80 meters long, the lower one equipped with twenty-six arquebus ports. The structure probably remained in use until the end of the 16th century, when the castle lost its military function, turning out to be almost completely buried by the end of the 18th century.
