The walls (fig. 1) which surrounded and protected the village were fortified by eight (or possibly nine) towers, some square-shaped, others with a semi-circular plan (fig. 2); they were slightly scarp inclined and made of blocks of schist, set in place in regular rows and bound with lime mortar.

This masonry, characterised by a thickness of about 2.40 metres, spread in a sub-pentagonal shaped perimeter of about 950 metres. On the west side, facing the town of San Gavino, there was the door called "de Santu Baingiu" (fig. 3).

On the northeast side, about 120 metres long, there was a second entrance to the village, named gate of Sardara (fig. 4).

Fig. 1 - The outer walls of the fortified complex of Monreale (reconstruction by M. G. Arru, from Google Earth).

Fig. 2 - Plan of the C semi-circular tower (from UCCHEDDU 2004, p. 239).

The village was crossed by the main road, sa ruga manna, which cut lengthwise through the town and united the two accesses on the eastern and western sides of the fortified walls.

Fig. 3 - The West gate called of San Gavino or "de Santu Baingiu" (photo by R. Bordicchia).

Fig. 4 - The East gate called of Sardara (photo by R. Bordicchia).