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Visit Piazza Armerina
Piazza Armerina is situated in southern-central Sicily.
The town plan of Piazza Armerina is medieval, and was much restored in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the Old Town of Piazza Armerina there are numerous buildings of historic and artistic interest, including the Castle (XIV century), the Town Hall and the Cathedral (XVII-XVIII century), work by Torriani, the Church of St. Ignatius (XVII century) with a stocked library, the churches of San Pietro (XVII century), San Rocco, the Romanesque St Andrew's Outside the Walls, and the Baroque Palazzo Trigona.
Piazza Armerina cathedral
The cathedral stands in Piazza Garibaldi. Built in a Renaissance-Baroque style it is in the highest part of the town. The cathedral was founded on the ruins of the former Mother Church, of which the bell tower remains, is by Orazio Torriani (1602-1657). The façade of the church is divided by two orders of pilasters, above, a large window and, below, a rich portal. On the right hand stands the imposing bell tower, with two rows of windows in Gothic and Renaissance style. The interior of the Cathedral is a Latin cross form with a dome over seventy feet high. The cathedral contains many works of art, among which we point out the canvas of the 'Assumption of the Virgin ", by Filippo Paladini (1544-1610), the “Martyrdom of Saint Agatha", by Jacopo Ligozzi (1547-1627) and the wooden cross, attributed to the school of Antonello da Messina (1427-1479), whose author is known as the "Master of the Cross of Piazza Armerina.”
Around Piazza Garibaldi
In the same square is situated the palace of the Trigona (18th century). The main façade of the palace has a portal, and a series of large windows on the first floor, and a balcony above the main floor. From Piazza Garibaldi we can access the area known as the "Canali", an ancient village that was home to the Jews.
The Church of St. John's dates back to the 14th century and was frescoed in the 18th century by the Flemish painter G. Borremans (1672-1744).In the lower part of the district called "Casalotto" there is the “Chiesa del Carmine”, of the 17th century, which was built on the ruins of the church of St. Albert (XV century), of which remains the bell tower of Gothic-Catalan style.Noteworthy is the cloister of the 16th century and the “Madonna” by A. Gagini placed above the portal.
Behind the former Benedictine Monastery is located the area known as "Castellina”, one of four historical districts of the city, so named because it expanded at the foot of a castle. At its heart is the Church of St. Venerable, whose foundation probably dates from the twelfth century. The church has a single nave with a wooden roof supported by wooden trusses.
The neighborhood is bordered by the ancient Tower called the “Castellina”, dating back to 1337, or the period of enlargement of the walls. In the “Monte” district, a classic example of Norman town planning with picturesque narrow streets, we can visit the Church of the Guardian Angels (XVI century), richly frescoed, and the church of “Santa Maria della Catena” (XII century). In the “Via Crocifisso” is the church of S. Martin of Tours, the first church founded by the Normans in the new city of "Platia", whose construction began in 1163.
Around Piazza Castello
The “Piazza Castello” includes, in addition to the Aragonese Castle built in the late 14th century and the residence of King Martin I of Aragon, some palaces (“Velardita”, “Roccella” [18th century], and “Starrabba” Palaces, 19th century) and the church of Our Lady of the Snows ( XVII century), near the convent of the Augustinians. Outside the walls there is the church of “Sant'Andrea”, founded in the early decades of the 12th century and an important example of the medieval Sicilian style. Inside were found a significant amount of fragments of frescoes, carried out between the 12th and 15th centuries; among the most identifiable, experts have identified a "Crucifixion of Saint Andrew", an "Annunciation," and a "Massacre of the Innocents".
Villa Romana del Casale
The Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Amerina is the main highlight in the town, known especially for its mosaics.The villa is built on four levels:
- on the first level there are the baths, supplied with water by two aqueducts. At this level there is also a massage room and gym.
- on the second level is the main entrance, with three arches and a large open-air courtyard surrounded by columns of Ionic style.
- on the third level there is the peristyle, a rectangular courtyard surrounded by columns in the Corinthian style, with a central fountain. On the left side of the peristyle there is a group of small rooms, including the room of the so-called "Little Hunt", that of the fishermen and that of the dancers. On the right side there is a group of three rooms, one of which, known throughout the world, is the room of "girls in bikinis." Along the eastern side of the peristyle opens the corridor of the "Great Hunt" (See below on the significance of the mosaics).
- Finally, in the fourth level there the "Triclinium”, or the private rooms of the family, and the Basilica. In the "Triclinium" there are mosaics depicting the twelve labors of Hercules and in the central apse there is the Gigantomachy; these mosaics have a high symbolic value, and they are, as we will see, the main tool for the individuation of the "mysterious" owner of the Villa.
See separate feature for details of the symbolism and interpretation of the mosaics: Roman Villa del Casale mosaics
Around Piazza Armerina
The villa at Piazza Armerina is situated in an area of great natural value. Here we are in the southern “Erei” Mounts, between the Gela River, which waters the surrounding area, making it fertile and suitable for the cultivation of hazelnuts, grapes, olives and wheat; the eucalyptus forests that surround Piazza Armerina and the waters of the nearby Lake Pergusa.
In this territory, rich in art, history and nature, tourists can also enjoy the best of the Sicilian and Piazza Armerina cuisine. Enjoy a few local dishes of “Roman” style - when we say "Roman", we refer mainly to "Coena" [dinner], which began with an appetizer usually made with vegetables, and the first course ["primae mensae"], full of dishes with fish or meat. The desserts [“secundae mensae”] with fresh and dried fruit concluded the "Coena." Among the local specialities Piazza Armerina can include vegetables, wines, cheese, sauces, pickles, olives, Sicilian sausage, roasts, grilled meats, and homemade “pasta.”
See also Piazza Armerina history and etymology.
See the the Sicily travel guide for more places to visit in the same region as Piazza Armerina.