Piazza Armerina
Host of the approximately 3 km away Roman legacy, Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina is a commune in the Enna province of Sicily. Situated on a high hill of a fertile district, the town has a rather apprehensive history of destructions and reconstructions.
History shows that the Roman times were the heyday of this area, fact emphasized by the existence of the Villa Romana del Casale, which gathers the quintessence of the roman life and also enables touristic traffic that deeply sustains the local economy.
Its history is quite a rollercoaster of architectural styles displayed by the local landmarks. The Baroque Cathedral of Piazza Armerina was built on the ground of a former church in the 15th century and represents a major bookmark in the history pages of the city, since the cathedral also incorporates Catalan Gothic style windows that date from the same period. The cathedral hosts the Byzantine Statue Madonna del Vittore (Our Lady of Victories) that is said to have been given to the Norman Count Roger (main figure associated to the foundation of the city in the 11th century) by Pope Nicholas II. The statue is of great local importance, fact that is sustained by its streaming through the streets on the Feast of the Assumption.
Other historic monuments that mark the city are Palazzo Trigona (the residence of an opulent family, who commissioned the church), Palazzo di Cita (which is quite a beauty mainly because of the frescoes from the ceiling), the Church of Santa Maria di Gesu (said to have been founded in the 16th century), the Church of S. Anna from the 18th century, the church of St. Martin of Tours from 1163, the church of San Giovanni Evangelista from the 14th century, the square-shaped Aragonese Castle and the Church of Fundro. Words cannot depict the marvelous of these constructions, which basically justify the massive touristic flux. Not only inside the city can there be found historic wonders, but outside the bourns also. The ancient Church of the Priorato di Sant’Andrea founded in 1096 is a living proof of medieval frescoes mastery.
Not only history is notable in Piazza Armerina, but politics also. On quite a hectic political background, the inhabitants, foremost youngsters, have developed a complex political consciousness which leads them to getting actively involved in the socio-political environment.
The fine paintings, the frescoes, the omnipresent cultural stimulants create a wonderful scenery that invites to discovery. As any other historic site, specialists have made serious efforts to reveal the wonders hidden behind the walls of the edifices of Piazza Armerina, but sometimes it takes personal touch in order to fully participate in knowing the historic, social, political and cultural background of a certain place.
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