SICILY

THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHATOTHERS ONLY TELL YOU

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

ANCIENT SITES ISLANDLL SFESTIVAVV LS MUSEUMSMARKETS BEACAA HES

RESTAURANTS VOLCANOESVILLAGES RESORTS HOTELS

NORTHWESTERNSICILY

Pages 84109

EAST PALERMOPages 4657

SOUTHWESTERNSICILY

Pages 110131

WEST PALERMOPages 5869

Sicily Area by Area

Trapani

P A L E R M OP

N O R T H W E S T E R N

S I C I L Y

S O U T H W E

S I C I

Agrigento

gadiIslands

PelgieIslandsPantellerial

UsticaT

NORTHEASTERNSICILY

Pages 158191

SOUTHERNSICILY

Pages 132157

E S T E R N

L Y

S O U T H E R N

S I C I L Y

N O R T H E A S T E R N

S I C I L Y

CATANIA

Syracuse

Messina

RAGUSA

Caltanissetta

AeolianIslands

0 kilometres

0 miles

250

20

Enna

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

SICILY

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

SICILY

The Temple of Hera in the Valle dei Templi at Agrigento

The information in this DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.

Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at the time of going to press. Some details, however,

such as telephone numbers, opening hours, prices, gallery hangingarrangements and travel information are liable to change. The

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We value the views and suggestions of our readers very highly. Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides,

Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, Great Britain.

INTRODUCINGSICILY

DISCOVERING SICILY 10

PUTTING SICILY ON THE MAP 12

A PORTRAIT OF SICILY 14

THE HISTORY OF SICILY 26

SICILY THROUGH THE YEAR 38

Backcloth, Museo delle Marionettein Palermo (see pp5051)

CONTENTSHOW TO USE THIS GUIDE 6

Female bust sculpted in the5th century BC (see pp3031)

Produced by Fabio Ratti Editoria Libraria e Multimediale, Milan, Italy

yy

PROJECT EDITOR Giovanni FrancesioEDITOR Elena Marzorati

SECRETARY Emanuela DamianiDESIGNERS STUDIO MatraSilvia Tomasone, Lucia Tirabassi

MAPS Oriana Bianchetti

Dorling Kindersley LtdPROJECT EDITOR Fiona Wild

y

DTP DESIGNERS Maite Lantaron, Lee RedmondPRODUCTION David Proffit

,

MANAGING EDITORS Fay Franklin, Louise Bostock LangMANAGING ART EDITOR Annette Jacobs

,

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Vivien CrumpART DIRECTOR Gillian AllanPUBLISHER Douglas Amrine

CONTRIBUTORSFabrizio Ardito, Cristina Gambaro

Additional tourist information by Marco Scapagnini,,

ILLUSTRATORS Giorgia Boli, Silvana Ghioni, Alberto Ipsilanti, Nadia Vigan

ENGLISH TRANSLATION Richard Pierce

Reproduced by Colourscan (Singapore)Printed and bound by L. Rex Printing Company Limited, China

p y g pp

First American Edition, 200007 08 09 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

,,

Published in the United States by DK Publishing, Inc.,375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

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Reprinted with revisions 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007

Copyright 2000, 2007 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNDER INTENATIONAL AND PAN-AMERICAN COPYRIGHT CONVENTIONS. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE

REPRODUCED, STORED IN A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, PHOTOCOPYING,RECORDING, OR OTHERWISE, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF

THE COPYRIGHT OWNER.

Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.

A CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION RECORD IS AVAILABLEFROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

ISSN 1542-1554ISBN 978-0-75662-671-6

THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK, FLOORS ARE REFERRED TO IN ACCORDANCE WITHEUROPEAN USAGE, I.E., THE FIRST FLOOR IS THE FLOOR ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.

Front cover main image: View of Castillo di Falconara, Butera

PALERMOAREA BY AREA

PALERMO AT A GLANCE 44

SOUTHERN SICILY 132

NORTHEASTERN SICILY 158

SHOPS AND MARKETS222

ENTERTAINMENT 226

SPECIALIST HOLIDAYS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES 230

TRAVELLERS NEEDS

EAST PALERMO 46

WEST PALERMO 58

FURTHER AFIELD 70

SURVIVAL GUIDE

PRACTICALINFORMATION 236

TRAVEL INFORMATION240

GENERAL INDEX 244

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS254

PHRASE BOOK 255

Castellammare del Golfo (see p96), one of many fishing villages on the Sicilian coast

Ancient theatre mask,Museo Eoliano (see p190)

The medieval castle at Erice, in Northwestern Sicily (see p33 & p100)

SICILY AREA BY AREA

SICILY AT A GLANCE 82

NORTHWESTERN SICILY 84

SOUTHWESTERNSICILY 110

WHERE TO STAY 194

WHERE TO EAT 208

A cheese vendor at Catanias open-air market (see pp2223)

H O W T O U S E T H I S G U I D E6

regional sections describe the mostimportant sights, with maps, floor plans, photographs and detailedillustrations. Restaurant and hotel recommendations are described in Travellers Needs and the Survival Guide has tips on everything fromtransport to hiring a surfboard.

This guide will help you to get the most out of your visit to Sicily. It provides detailed practical infor-mation and expert recommendations. Introducing Sicily maps the island and ysets Sicily in its historic, artistic, geographical and cultural context. Palermo Area by Area and the four

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

PALERMO AREA BY AREAThe historic centre of the city has been divided into two areas, East and West, each with its own chapter.Further Afield covers dperipheral sights. All sightsare numbered and plotted on the Area Map. Thedetailed information for each sight is easy to locateas it follows the numerical order on the map.

Sights at a Glancelists the chapters sights by category: Churchesand Cathedrals, Historic Buildings, Museums,Streets and Squares,Parks and Gardens.

2Street-by-Street MapThis gives a birds-eye view of the key areas in each chapter.

A suggested route for awalk is shown in red.

Stars indicate the sights thatno visitor should miss.

3DetailedInformationThe sights in Palermo are described individually. Addresses,telephone numbers, opening hours and admission charges are alsoprovided. Map references refer tothe Street Finder onr pp78-9- .

A locator map shows whereyou are in relation to other areas of the city centre.

1Area mapFor easy reference, all the major sights are numbered and located on this map.

All pages relating to Palermohave red thumb tabs.

The Atlantes at Porta Nuova, the city gate built in 1583 in honour of Emperor Charles V

One of the statues on the Cathedral

Streets and Squares

Churches

Historic Buildings

0 metres

0 yards

350

350

KEY

Street-by-StreetSee pp6061

Metro station

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

STAR SIGHTS

Cappella Palatina

San Giovanni degli Eremiti

Cathedralathat

Palazzo Arcivescovile and Museo Diocesano

Porta Nuova

The monument to Philip V

Villa Bonanno

The former hospital of San Giacomo

Mosaic lunette in the Stanza di Ruggero, Palazzo dei Normanni

Y

Suggested routeS

0

yards

100

100

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp1982 and pp21314

10 km (6 miles) north of Palermo.

Period print of Santa Rosalias float

The lively fishing harbour at Mondello, filled with boats

Viale Ercole, Viale Diana.

Piazza Ruggero VII. Map 1 B1.Tel 091-605 32 49/605 33 15.l

Aerial view of the Neo-Classical Teatro Politeama

Via Filippo Turati 10. Map 1 B1.Tel 091-588 951.l

9:30am7:30pm TueSun.

Entrance to the Museo Pitr, devoted to Sicilian folk art and customs

Via Duca degli Abruzzi. Tel 091-740l48 85. for restoration.

Via Duca degli Abruzzi.Tel 091-740 48 93.l

7:30am7:30pm SatThu.

The extravagant faade of the Palazzina Cinese

SANCTUARY OF SANTA ROSALIA ON MONTE PELLEGRINO

O W T O U S E T H I S G U I D E 7

For all top sights, a Visitors Checklist provides thepractical information youwill need to plan your visit.

3Sicilys top sightsThese are given two or more full pages. Historic buildings are dissected toreveal their interiors. The most interesting towns or city centres are shown in a birds-eye view, with sights picked out and described.

1IntroductionThe landscape, history and character of each region is described here, showing how the area has developed over the centuries and what it has to offer to the visitor today.

SICILYAREA BY AREAApart from Palermo, Sicily has been divided into four regions, each with a separate chapter. The mostinteresting towns, villages and sights to visit are num-bered on a Regional Map.

Each area can be identifiedby its own colour coding.

2Regional MapThis shows the road network and gives anillustrated overview of the whole region. All the interesting places to visit are numbered and there are also useful tips on getting to, and around, the region by car and by public transport.

4Places ofInterestAll the important towns and other places to visit are described individually. They are listed in order, following the numbering on the Regional Map. Within eachtown or city, there is detailed information on important buildings and other sights.The Road Map references refer to the inside back cover.

The majestic Baroque portal of Ragusa Cathedral, dedicated to St John the Ba

Fishing boats anchored in Ortygia ha

KEY

Mot

Majo

Seco

Mino

Road

Main

Mino

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp2023 and pp21718

VISITORS CHECKLIST

Greek Theatre and NeapolisArchaeological Zone Viale Para-diso. Tel 0931-662 06.l 9am 6pm daily (to 3pm NovMay).Mon. Istituto Nazionale delDramma Antico (INDA) Corso Matteotti 29. Tel 0931-674 15lor 65373. Box office: 0931-22107. www.indafondazione.org

The cave(auditoriu

Playbill of Aeschylus Libation Bearersdesigned by Duilio Cambellotti (1921)

The diazoma

a

The stage area

ormousof rock

THE ISTITUTO NAZIONALEDEL DRAMMA ANTICO

Logo of the Syracuse INDA

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp2023 and pp21718

Corso Umberto I

Monastero delle Benedettine

Teatro GaribaldiPalazzo

Tedeschi, Santa Maria del Soccorso PalazzoManenti

San Pietro

monumentalsteps

San Pietro

Road map D5. 54,300.Pro Loco (0932-510 260).

Teatro ComunaleSanta Maria

delle Grazie

Road map E4. 8,100.

Chiesa del SalvatoreMatrice Santa Maria la Nova

Madonna delle Grazie Sanctuary

Road map E4. 7,000. Town hall (0933-968 211).

Chiesa Madre di San Gregorio

San Pietro stands at the top of a monumental Baroque staircase

The ruins of the Greek walls at the Capo Soprano headland, Gela

A Baroque balcony in the centre of Palazzolo Acreide

Road map D4. 72,000. from Syracuse (0931-464 467). AAST (0933-939 932). Fortifications at Capo Soprano Tel 0933-930 975. l

9am1 hr before sunset. Museo Archeologico Comunale Tel 0933-l912 626. 9am1pm, 26:30pm.

last Mon of month. (combined with excavations.) Acropolis excava-tions 9am1 hr before sunset.

AcropolisCapo Soprano

Acropolis

Museo Archeologico

Road map E4. 9,000. Town hall (0931-882 000).

ChiesaMadre di San Nicol, Palazzo ZoccoChiesa dellAnnunziata

excavations of Akrai

The Duomo at Modica, a remarkable example of Sicilian Baroque

Duomo (San Giorgio)

Corso Regina Margherita

Santa Maria di Betlem

Museo CivicoLargo Merc. Tel 0932-945 081. l

9am1pm MonSat.

Excavations at Akrai2 km (1.2 miles) from the centre. Tel 0931-881 499. 9am1 hr before sunset (NovApr: 91pm, 3:305pm).

theatreacropolis

agora latomie

Temple of Aphrodite Santoni

Road map E5. 52,500. from Syracuse (0931-464 467). Pro Loco, Via Catagirasi 2 (0932-948 133).

The theatre at Palazzolo Acreide: the colony dates back to the early 7th century BC

Sculpture on Corso Umberto I

DDramDr

SICILY

DISCOVERING SICILY 1011

PUTTING SICILY ON THE MAP 1213

A PORTRAIT OF SICILY 1425

THE HISTORY OF SICILY 2637

SICILY THROUGH THE YEAR 3841

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y1 0

Of f the toe of the Italian peninsula in the far south, the sun-baked island of Sicily has wonderful surprises in store for visitors. Active volcanoes light up the night sky, and windsweptuplands punctuated by riots of wildf lowers contrast withpicture-postcard Mediterranean fishing villages. Imposing ancienttemples and fortresses left by waves

of occupiers vie for attention with glorious beaches on distant

islands. Then there are thechaotic cit ies with their co lour fu l marke t s , the museums crammed withpriceless antiquities, and the

joyous festivals that punctuate the Sicilian calendar year, creating memorable occasions

for outsiders. These two pages detail the highlights of each region.

DISCOVERING SICILY

PreservedRoman mosaic

on the westernmost coast.The nearby port of Trapani(see p102) is the gateway tothe divine Egadi islands (see p108) where islanders transport visitors by boat around the idyllic bays and isolated beaches.

Back on the mainland, the hilltop town of Erice (see pp1001) boasts pretty paved streets, exquisite almond pastries and superbviews. Nature lovers will appreciate the Riserva dello Zingaro (see p97), a pristine stretch of mountainous coastline broken up by inviting coves and home totypical Mediterranean flora.

A hydrofoil trip north from Palermo takes you to therocky volcanic island of Ustica(see p109), its turquoise waters and underwater caves a haven for scuba divers. Novisitor should miss the atmo-spheric medieval town of Cefal (see pp8891), a warrenof narrow streets and a land-mark cathedral in the shadow of a limestone promontory.

PALERMO

Piazza della Vittoria area Colourful markets Monreale cathedral Cripta dei Cappuccini

The islands capital city isrenowned for its fascinatingblend of Arabic, Norman and Baroque architecture, as well as its unbelievably chaotic traffic. Visits are best on foot or by local transport. Off Piazza della Vittoria (see pp601) with its relaxinggardens is the 12th-century Cappella Palatina (see pp623), an inspiring place to start before moving on to the lively Vucciria (see p56)and Ballar (see p69)outdoor markets, feasts for all the senses. Well-stockedart galleries alternate with shady parks such as thewonderful Orto Botanico(see p75), where beautifultropical plants are clearly at home in the warm Sicilianclimate. One unmissable highlight a short distance outof town is the cathedral at

Monreale (see pp767), a unique master-piece of Byzantine art with glittering mosaics and a cool Moorish-style courtyard. A rather different style of art, that of embalming, is on display at theCripta dei Cappuccini(see p74). Intriguing,but definitely not for the faint-hearted, the catacombs host an

army of the deceased, many in skeletal shape.

Olive stall at Vucciria market, Palermo

NORTHWESTERN SICILY

Archaeological site ofSelinunte

Stunning Egadi islands Hilltop town of Erice Medieval Cefal

Arguably Sicilys toparchaeological site, the ancient port of Selinunte(see pp1047) and its cluster of Hellenic temples occupies a beautiful seafront position

A view of the dramatic coast from Riserva dello Zingaro

D I S C O V E R I N G S I C I L Y 1 1

SOUTHWESTERN SICILY

Roman mosaics at Piazza Armerina

Agrigentos Valle deiTempli

Volcanic Pelagie islands

Any visit to this wild south-western region of Sicilyshould begin with a visit to the ruined Roman villa at Piazza Armerina (see pp129 31), which contains simply exquisite, beautifully preserved mosaics depicting scenes of hunting and the life of the well-to-do. The Greek temple complexat Agrigento (see pp11415)is also a highlight, though itsproximity to busy roads detracts somewhat from itsappeal. By contrast, the atmospheric archaeological site of Morgantina (see p128)is set in lovely rolling country-side, away from modern civilization. The town of Sciacca (see pp11819) isworth a visit for its spa facilities and vast views from Monte San Calogero. Toreally get away from it all,take a ferry to the isolated,volcanically formed islands of Pantelleria (see p124) andLampedusa (see p125).

south of Sicily. Completelyrebuilt in a new location after a devastating earth-quake in the 1600s, Noto(see pp1447) with its stonechurches makes for amemorable visit, as does Ragusa (see pp15051).

Marvellous ceramics from a tradition that dates back to Arab times are the main draw in the hilly town of Caltagirone (see pp1545),which boasts a unique staircase studded withcolourful majolicatiles. The lovely seafront city of Syracruse (see pp13643) has many sightseeing attractions, not least its position on a high, rocky peninsula that jutsout into the sea,and the intriguing maze of streetsthat make up theOrtygia district. Itsarchaeological site is also rewarding, with a Greektheatre carved into the hill-side that continues to host live theatrical performancesduring the summer.

Adventurous visitors should make a point of visiting the Monti Iblei hinterland and the steep gorges at Pantalica(see p157), accessible on foot or horseback.

NORTHEASTERN SICILY

Awesome Mount Etna Charming Taormina The Aeolian Islands

This slice of Sicily is dominated by volcanoes of all shapes and sizes. MountEtna (see pp1703) towers to incredible heights and is visible from much of Sicily,often providing live firework shows from its summit craters.

The delightful town of Ragusa, famous for its Baroque architecture

Ruins of the Greek Theatre at Taormina, withimposing Mount Etna in the background

The rocky coastline of Lampedusa,Pelagie islands

SOUTHERN SICILY

Baroque towns of Notoand Ragusa

Majolica tiles atCaltagirone

Greek theatre at Syracuse

The ornate style of SicilianBaroque architecture can be admired in a fascinatingseries of towns across the

Accessible all year roundthanks to good roads and ahigh-altitude cable-car, it isalways popular. At its feet is the bustling if rather run-down city of Catania (see pp1625), worth a visit for its lively fish market andBaroque cathedral. No-one should miss the pretty town of Taormina (see pp17680), which spreads across steep flowered hillsides high above the sparkling Ionian coast. Thetown boasts a spectacular outdoor Greek theatre and perfect views of Etna. The far-flung AeolianIslands (see p18891) offer countless delights to thehordes of visitors who arrive each summer. The largest island in this marvellous windswept archipelago is Lipari, which makes a good base for exploring its moreremote neighbours. Stromboli, with its on-going minor eruptions, can be admiredfrom a boat and the ruins of a prehistoric village can be found on Filicudi.

Putting Sicily on the MapSicily is the largest region in Italy (25,708 sq km, 9,923 sq miles) and the third most highly populated with more than five million inhabitants. The terrainis mostly hilly the plains and plateaus make up only 14 per cent of the total land area. The mostinteresting features of the mountain zones are the volcanoes, especially Mount Etna, which is the largest active volcano in Europe. The longest river is the Salso, which is 144 km (89 miles) long.Besides Sicily itself, the Region of Sicily includes other smaller islands: the Aeolian Islands, Ustica,the Egadi Islands, Pantelleria and the Pelagie Islands.Palermo is the Sicilian regional capital, and with itspopulation of almost 650,000 is the fifth largest city in Italy after Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin.

The carnival at Acireale, one of the most colourful in Sicily

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y1 2

THE ISLANDS

AROUND SICILY

SICILY

Palermo, Italys fifth largest city

P U T T I N G S I C I L Y O N T H E M A P 1 3

At the Heart of the Mediterranean Sicily is the largest island in the Medi-terranean, and in some respects is its focal point. Lampedusa, the largest of the Pelagie Islands, is, along with Crete, the southernmost point in Europe; being closer to Tunisia (113 km, 70 miles) than to Sicily (200 km, 124 miles). than to Sic

a is only 70 km (43 miles) PantelleriaMustaf, also in Tunisia. from Capo

0 kilometres

0 miles

35

25

KEY

Ferry service

Airport

Motorway

Road under construction

Major road

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y 1 5

Messinas Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune), a traditional starting point for a tour of the island

Sicilys history can be traced back more than 2,000 years, during which time it has been dominated by many different rulers, from the Greeks to the Romans,Byzantines and Arabs,from the Normans to the Spanish. Each succeeding culture left a mark on the island and may perhapshelp to explain aspects of the modern Sicilian character. This diverse inheritance manifests itself in acurious combination of dignified reserve and exuberant hospitality.

The western side of the island, which is centred upon Palermo, is historically considered to be of Punic-Arab influence. The eastern side was once the centre of Magna

Graecia, with its coastal towns of Mess ina, Catania and Syracuse. This difference may be discerned in the speech of

local people: the sing-song dialect of Palermo asopposed to the moreclipped accent of Cataniaand Syracuse. Accent differences are still notice-able, although they have

moderated to some degree over the centuries. There are east-west economic and social differences aswell as linguistic ones.

However, the is lands long, eventful and tortuous history has not been the only factor influencing its life and inhabitants. Few placeshave been so affected by their climate and topography: in Sicily the

The Easter Week procession in Enna

A PORTRAITOF S IC ILY

Sicilian shores are washed by three different seas, and this is reflected in the islands ancient name for Sicily: Trinacria, the three-cornered island. Each part of the island has its own history, its own character, creating a varied and complex whole. Yet

over the centuries Sicily has acquired a sense of unity and identity.

The rural landscape of the Sicilian interior, until recently characterized by its large estates

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y1 6

temperature is 30C (86F) for sixmonths of the year, and when the sun disappears, destructive torrentialrains can take its place. The Sicilianclimate is one of extremes and cansometimes even be cruel; it has shaped the islands extraordinary landscape which, as the Siciliannovelist Tomasi di Lampedusadescribed it, includes the hell of Randazzo and, just a few miles away, the paradise of Taormina. Then there aresplendid verdant coasts everywhere, with the aridinterior a stones throw away, marvellous towns overlooking the sea and villages perched on hilltops surrounded by inhospitable, barren uplands. An aerial view of this unique island offers a spectacle that is at once both magnificent and awe-inspiring.

Livestock raising, one of the mainstays of the economy in the Sicilian interior

A watermelon seller in Palermo

Villagers observing passers-by

ECONOMY AND SOCIETYThe historic, geographic and climatic differences in Sicily have produced a complex and varied society. YetSicilians have a strong sense of

identity and for centuries made their unique nature a point of honour ( in a sp i r i t o f independence they used to call the rest of Italy thecontinent). Today this

society is at a crossroadsbe tween t r ad i t ion and

modernity, much more sothan other Mediterranean regions. Sicilian society is attempting to reconcile

newer lifestyles and outlooks withdeeply rooted age-old customs.

One of the poorest regions in Italy, Sicily has had to strive for a morestreamlined and profitable economy against the resistance of the ancientlatifundia (feudal estate) system, just as the fervent civic and democraticspirit of the Sicilian people clashes with what remains of Mafia mentality and practice.

The criminal organization known to all as the Mafia is one of Sicilys most notorious creations. Sociologists andcriminologists both in Italy and abroad have tried to define the phenomenon without success. Is it a criminal structure that is simply s t ronger and more ef f ic ient ly

A P O R T R A I T O F S I C I L Y 1 7

organized than others, partly because of the massive emigration in the early 20th century, which took many Sicilians to the other side of the ocean? Or is it an anti-governmentmovement whose leaders haveplayed on the strong feelings of independence and diversity, whichhave always characterized Sicily? Is the Mafia the tool of the remaining large estate owners, who oncedominated the island and aredetermined to retain power? Or is it perhaps a combination of all theabove factors, which have found fertile soilin the innate scepticism and pessimism of theSicilians? Whatever the a n s w e r m a y b e , eliminating the Mafia is one of Sicilys greatestchallenges. After the early 1990s, which saw the deaths of several anti-Mafia figures, there is a new spirit abroad and the tide now seems to be turning in favour of the new Sicily.

An outdoor caf on the island of Lampedusa

Renato Guttuso, View of Bagheria (1951)

ART AND CULTUREFor more than 2,000 years, Sicily has inspired the creation of artistic masterpieces, from the architecture of Magna Graecia to the greatmedieval cathedrals, from thepaintings of Antonello da Messina to the music of Vincenzo Bellini, andfrom the birth of Italian literatureunder Frederick II to the poets and novelists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Sadly, this glorious artisticheritage is not always well cared for and apprec ia ted . Noto , near Syracuse, provides one example. This splendid town was built entirely of tufa in the early 1700s and is one of the great achievements of Sicilian Baroque architecture. Today Noto isfalling to pieces (the Cathedral collapsed in 1996), and the material used to build the town makes any restoration a difficult task. Thismixture of splendour and decay, or as Gesualdo Bufalino, the acute observer of his land, once said, light and lamentation, is typical of Sicily today. However, the creation of new nature reserves, renewed interest in preserving historic centres, andinitiatives such as extended churchopening hours, are all causes for cautious optimism in the future.

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y1 8

Typical Sicilian landscape consists of coast and sun-baked hills. The irregular andvaried coastline is over 1,000 km (620miles) long, or 1,500 km (931 miles) if the smaller islands are included. The islandsgeological make-up is also quite varied, with sulphur mines in the centre and volcanic activity in the east. Sicilys many volcanoes, in particular Mount Etna (thelargest in Europe), have created a landscape that is unique in the Mediterranean.

RUGGED COASTS AND STACKS

The Sicilian coast-line is steep and

rugged, particularly along the Tyrrhenian sea and the northern

stretch of the Ionian,where there are many peninsulas, river

mouths, bays and rocky headlands. It isalso characterized by stacks, steep-sidedpillars of rock separated from the coastal cliffs by erosion.

SANDY COASTLINES

Around the Trapani areathe Sicilian coast begins to slope down to the Moziasalt marshes, followed by uniform and sandy Medi-terranean beaches. This type of coastline continues alongthe Ionian side of Sicily,

where there are marshy areas populatedby flamingoes. These birds can be seen nesting as far inland as the Plain of Catania.

The sawwort Serratula

cichoriacea is a perennial

found along these coastlines.

Astroides calycularisis an alga that thrives inthe shaded cliff areas.

The dwarf palm,called scupazzu in

Sicilian dialect, is a typical western Medi-

terranean plant.

The prickly pearis an example of animported plant that was initially cultivated in gardens and thenended up crowding out the local flora.

Sicilys Geology, Landscape and Wildlife

Flamingo

SICILIAN FAUNA

Sicily haspreserved a variety of habitats in its

large nature reserves, the most famous of which is the Mount Etna National Park.These parks are

home to a wide range of species, some of which are endangered,including wildcats, martens andporcupines. The birdlife includes the rare golden eagle.

d fPainted frog

Vanessa butterfly

A P O R T R A I T O F S I C I L Y 1 9

THE INTERIOR

Sicilys hinterland has notalways looked the way it doestoday. Maquis once carpetedareas that, except for a few stretches far from the towns,are arid steppes today. As a result, apart from grain, whichhas always been the islandsstaple, the flora is not native, originating in North Africa or the Italian mainland. Birds likethe woodpecker can be seen.

VOLCANIC AREAS

Volcanic zones, particularly around Mount Etna, arevery fertile and yield rich

vegetation: from olivetrees growing on moun-tain slopes to the pines,birch and beech that thrive at 2,000 m (6,560ft). Higher up grows the

milk vetch, forming spiky racemes. Above 3,000 m (9,840 ft) nothing grows. Raptors can often be seen circling.

All kinds of coleop-tera, including this shiny-backedcarabid beetle, canbe found in Sicily. In the Mount Etnaarea alone, 354 different species have been identified.

The reptilefamily is represented by numerous species, rang-ing fromvarious types of snake tosmaller crea-tures such as this green

lizard, which is well known for its shiny skin and sinuous body.

The vegetation inthe interior oftenlooks like this: quite low-growing and with brightly coloured flowers.

Orchids come in a great number of

varieties, but they are sadly

becoming more and more rare. They

can be seen in uncul-

tivated areas or along

screes.

Moss and lichenscover the walls of

houses on the slopes of Mount Etna, which are built

using volcanic sand.

Cerastiumand Siciliansoapwort

flourish on the Mediterranean

uplands.

Martenslove to roamin the woods around Mount Etna. Weasels and ferrets can alsobe found in Sicily.

Foxeswere at one time

rare in Sicily, but in recent years they

have been spotted near towns foraging for food

among household refuse.

A falcon, anEtna raptor

Greenwoodpecker

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y2 0

Three periods have shaped much of Sicilian architecture. The first was the time of Greek occupation, whenmonumental works (especially templesand theatres) were built. Aesthetically they were often equal to, and in some cases superior to, those in Greece itself.The medieval period witnessed the fusion of the Byzantine, Arab and Norman styles in such buildings as the Duomo at Monreale near Palermo.Last came the flowering of Baroquearchitecture in the 17th18th centuries. The style was so individual that itbecame known as Sicilian Baroque.

STYLES OF CLASSICAL GREEK TEMPLEThe earliest version of the Greek templeconsisted of a rectangular chamber housing the statue of a god. Later, columns were added and the wooden elements werereplaced by stone. There were three Greek architectural orders: the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, in chronological order. They are easily distinguished by the columncapitals. The temples built in Sicily displayed an experimental, innovative nature compared with those in Greece.

Architecture in Sicily

Hygeia, 3rdcentury BC

Triangularpediment

The metopescould bedecorated.

Decoratedfrieze

Corinthian capital,decorated withacanthus leaves.

Ioniccolumns areslimmer.

1 Segesta p982 Selinunte pp10463 Valle dei Templi (Agrigento) pp116174 Morgantina pp12895 Gela p1536 Syracuse pp136437 Taormina pp176808 Tindari p186

CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE

h l h fThe column shaftswwere tapered upwards.

Doriccapital

Acroterion with griffon motif.

Capital withtwo volutes.

The Doric Temple The Doric temple stood on a three-stepped base. The columns had nobase, were thicker in the middle and tapered upwards, and the capital was a rectangular slab. Other elements were the frieze with its alternating metopes and triglyphs, and the triangular pediment.

The Ionic Temple The differences between the Ionic and Doric styles lay in the number of columns and in the fact that Ionic columns rest on a base and their capitals have twovolutes, giving the appearance of rams horns.

The Corinthian Temple The Corinthiantemple featured columns that were more slender than in the Ionic temple, and the elaborate capitals were decorated withstylized acanthus leaves.

LOCATOR MAP

Classical architecture

Medieval architecture

Baroque architecture

A P O R T R A I T O F S I C I L Y 2 1

Romanesqueside towers

MEDIEVAL CHURCHESThe drawings illustrate two of the greatest achievements of medieval architecture in Sicily. The Duomo of Monreale (left)is a masterpiece from the Norman period, with a splendid

fusion of Byzantine, Arab and Norman figurative elements in the mosaics in the interior. A similar fusion of styles and

cultures can be seen in the exterior architectural features. The Cathedral in Cefal (below) also dates

from the Norman period and, like Monreale, has beautiful mosaics. Its austere and stately quality is created by Romanesque elements such as thetwo lateral towers.

BAROQUE CHURCHESAfter the 1693 earthquake the towns of eastern Sicily werealmost totally rebuilt. Spanish-influenced Baroque was com-bined with Sicilian decorative and structural elements (convex church faades and impressive flights of steps), giving rise toan original, innovative style. Two great examples are shown

here: the Cathedral in Syracuse (left) and the Basilica di San Giorgio in Ragusa (below). The architect was GB Vaccarini (17021769), who also rebuilt Catania.

Interlacingarchesof Muslimderivation.

Interlacingarches

The columnsprotrude from the faade.

Decorativeelementsincludestatues.

9 Erice pp1001

0 Monreale pp767

q Palermo pp4275

w Cefal pp8891

e Catania pp1625

r Syracuse pp13643

MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE

The Gothicportal is under a 15th-century narthex.

The windows,double and singlelancet, make the towers look lighter.

The faade has atypically convex shape.

Curveddecorativeelements

Jutting cornices definethe sections of thefaade, adding arhythmic element.

Richdecoration

t Palermo pp4275

y Agrigento pp11415

u Caltanissetta p126

i Caltagirone pp1545

o Ragusa pp15051

p Modica p152

a Scicli p149

s Noto pp1447

d Syracuse pp13643

f Catania pp1625

BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y2 2

In the history of Sicilian art andliterature there have been periodsof tremendous creativity and others when little of note was produced.In the field of literature, the 13th-century Sicilian school of lyric poetry, 19th-century verismo or realism and Luigi Pirandellos novels and plays scale the heightsof Italian and European literary production. In the field of art, Sicily has produced such great artists asAntonello da Messina, one of the

great figures in 15th-century rationalism and por-traiture, and the modern painter Renato Guttuso.

figure in the Greek context was the historian DiodorusSiculus (1st century BC).

The first known figure inmedieval Sicilian literature isthe Arab poet Ibn Hamdis, who was born in Syracusein 1055 and was forced to leave the island while stillyoung. He wrote moving verses filled with nostalgiafor the land of his youth.

In the 13th century, the first school of lyric poetry inItaly developed at the court of Emperor Frederick II and his successor Manfred. Itlater became known as theSicilian School. Among thekey figures were Jacopo da Lentini, Pier della Vigna,Stefano Pronotaro, Rinaldo dAquino and Guido delle Colonne. Their love poetry took up the themes of Provenal lyric poetry but were written in vernacular Italianinstead of Latin. Their psychological penetra-tion and the stylisticand metric innova-tions led to theinvention of the sonnet. After this period of splendour,Sicilianliteraturedeclined, as did conditionsgenerally inSicily. This literary droughtlasted throughout theRenaissance and Baroque periods, and the only

author of note at this time isAntonio Veneziano (born in Monreale in 1543), a poet who wrote in the localdialect and left a collectionof love poems. The 18th century was another fallow period for literary production,and it was not until the mid-1800s that there was a rebirthof Sicilian literature. The writers Giovanni Verga and Federico De Roberto becamethe mainspring of the realisticnovel, verismo.This style of writing was an extreme and, to a certainextent, more refined version of French naturalism, asembodied in the work of Emile Zola. Giovanni Verga was bornin Catania in 1840. After producing work in a late Romantic vein, in the 1870s he was drawn to Frenchnaturalism by creating his so-called poetic of thedefeated, in which he setout to depict the hardship of contemporary social reality. He began with short stories set in a rural context (the first was Nedda, 1873),which were followed by hismasterpieces, the novels I

Malavoglia (The House by the Medlar Tree,

1881) and Mastro Don Gesualdo(1889), which

both depict theimmutable Sicilian society of the time. The former

a truly innovative work from a stylistic

and linguistic standpoint isthe story of afamily of fisher-men at AciTrezza who, after a short-

lived periodof relative well-

being, plunge into a life of poverty and suffering.Mastro Don Gesualdonarrates the rise on the social

Luigi Pirandello, 1934Nobel Prize winner

Only fragments remain of Greek Sicilian literary works.Unlike other artistic fieldssuch as architecture, Siceliot (ancient Greek-Sicilian) literature is indistinguishable from the local production, as both were the expression of the same religious, cultural and civic milieu. Apart from Pindar, who dedicated lyric poems to Syracuse andAgrigento, the names of two Siceliot poets have survived.Stesichorus, who lived inCatania in the 7th6th century BC, achieved great fame in all Hellas according to Cicero, leaving a few fragments written in theHomeric style. Theocritus,a Syracusan who lived inthe 4th3rd centuries BC,created the genre of pastorals, short poems on bucolic or mythological subjects. Another important

Metope from Temple E in Selinunte: Artemis and Acteon

Sicilian Literature and Art

Guidebook byFederico De

Roberto

WRITERS

Giovanni Verga, author ofI Malavoglia (1881)

A P O R T R A I T O F S I C I L Y 2 3

scale and existential dramaof a workman (mastro)who, thanks to his marriage, becomes a Don. These twonovels were part of Vergasplanned ciclo dei vinti (cycleiof the defeated), which was to have consisted of fivenovels; but the author leftthe project unfinished.

In the same vein as Verga were two other Sicilian writers, Luigi Capuana (18391915) and, more importantly, Federico De Roberto (18611927), whowrote I Vicer (The Viceroys,1894), about a 19th-century aristocratic family in Catania.

The literature of Sicily con-tinued to be at the forefrontin the 20th century. The firsthalf was dominated by LuigiPirandello (18671936), whowon the Nobel Prize for

Literature in1934. In hisnovels (such as The Late Mattia Pascal,1904), nearly 300 short stories, plays(see p25) and essays hecombines wit with a lucid and sometimes ruthless vision of reality.

Among the many noteworthy post-war Sicilian writers arethe hermetic poet SalvatoreQuasimodo(190168),author of the collection of poems Ed subito sera(And Suddenly its Evening, 1942). He won theNobel Prize in 1959. Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (18961957), wrote IlGattopardo (TheLeopard, 1958; see p122), a vivid 2portrait of feudal Sicily, later madeinto a film, andLeonardo Sciascia (1921 89), wrote novels and essays painting a penetrating, lively portrait of post-war Sicily.

ARTISTS

Until the Renaissance,Sicilian art was basically decorative. During the Greek period probably the bestpainting was produced in the7th century BC, when Siceliotvase painters stopped imita-ting the mainland models and adopted a fresh, eclecticstyle that combined and elaborated upon the original Greek red-figure waremotifs. The only known artistwas Zeuxis, and this only through literature, not his works. The Roman perioddistinguished itself for somefine wall paintings, in which wax-derived colours wereapplied, fused into a layer and then fixed onto the wall with heat. The decorative arts in the Middle Ages inSicily were dominated by mosaics. Among earlier fine

works in this medium arethe mosaics of the lateRoman period at PiazzaArmerina and those in

the Cappella Pala-tina in Palermo and CefalCathedral, whichare a magnificentcombination of Byzantine, Arab and Normanmotifs and stylistic elements. Sicilianart reached a peakduring the Renais-sance, thanks to

artists such as Giuffr (15th century), Quartarano (14841501), the unknown author of Trionfo della morte (The e

One ofPirandellos

earliest plays

Antonello da Messina, St Sebastian (1476)

Triumph of Death), and, last but by no means least,to the genius of Antonello da Messina (143079), one of the greatest Renaissance portraitists and exponents of figurative rationalism, who was active throughout Italy.

Although Sicily was one of the favourite subjects of the great European landscapeartists, from the 17th to the 19th century the islandproduced only one impor-tant painter, Pietro Novelli,known as the man from Monreale (160347).

In the 20th century, the painter Renato Guttuso(191287) took up hisartistic heritage in a realistic vein, becoming one of Italys leading artists.

Renato Guttuso, Boogie-woogie (1953 4)

Leonardo Sciascia (192189)

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y2 4

Cinema and Theatre in SicilyAnyone who witnesses the colour of Carnival inSicily, or the bustle of the Vucciria market in Palermo, will appreciate that Sicily is a theatrical place in its own right. The reasons perhaps lie in the turbulent history of the place. One thing is certain: the island has been a source of inspiration for both theatre and cinema, providing subjects from peasant life to thedecadent aristocracy and the Mafia, and producing world-famous playwrights, such as the late LuigiPirandello, and award-winning films.

SICILIAN CINEMA

The first Sicilian to forge a successful career in the seventh art was probably the playwright Nino Martoglio, who in 1914 directed Sper-rrduti nel Buio (Lost in the Dark), a film set in Naples, and edited with a highly original technique. Shortly afterwards, in 1919, Piran-dello also wrote two screen-plays, Pantera di Neve (Snow ePanther) and La Rosa (The Rose), followed by Acciaio(Steel) in 1933. The greatplaywright and the directors of the films experienceddifficulties, however, and the results were not entirely successful. After World War II Sicilian cinema and filmsset in Sicily reached a peak.In 1948 Luchino Visconti produced La TerraTrema, a loose adaptation of Giovanni VergasI Malavoglia (see p169). TheMilanese director returned to the island in 1963 to film Il Gattopardo(The Leopard), based on the novel

of the same name by Tomasi di Lampedusa (see p122) andstarring Burt Lancaster, AlainDelon and Claudia Cardinale.

In the same period, the Palermitan director VittorioDe Seta, following some fascinating documentaries onSicily, directed a feature film set in Sardinia, Banditi a Orgosolo (Bandits at Orgo-solo, 1961), and Neapolitandirector Francesco Rosi made Salvatore Giuliano (1961), the story of the famous Sicilian bandit, acclaimed as the greatest film on southern Italy. That same year Pietro Germi shotanother famous film in Sicily:Divorzio allItaliana,(Divorce Italian Style), with Marcello Mastroianni and Stefania Sandrelli. Roman director Elio Petri made another important film aboutthe island in the 1960s: ACiascuno il Suo (To Each His Own, 1967), an adaptation of Leonardo Sciascias novel of the same name (see p23).The 1970s and 1980s pro-duced a number of films about the Mafia, while Sicilian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore directed CinemaParadiso, set in Palazzo Adriano (see p120), whichwon an Academy Award as the best foreign film of 1990.

Burt Lancaster as the Prince of Salina in Il Gattopardo (1963)

Marlon Brando as DonCorleone in The Godfather

Since the end of World War II the Mafia has been a favourite subject for film. (However, there is a distinction betweenItalian-made and Holly-wood films.) The most distinguished Mafia filmsmade in Italy are Fran-cesco Rosis Salvatore Giuliano; Il Giorno della Civetta (Mafia), adapted from Leonardo Sciascias novel (see p23) directed by Damiano Damiani, who also made Confes-sione di un Commissario di Polizia al Procuratore della Repubblica (1971), and Elio Petris A Cias-cuno il Suo (To Each HisOwn, 1967). Last, the Mafia is also the subject of two films by Giuseppe Ferrara, Il Sasso in Bocca(1969) and more recently Cento Giorni a Palermo (A Hundred Days inPalermo, 1983), the tragic story of the Carabinieregeneral Dalla Chiesa, who was killed by theMafia (see p36). Any number of Hollywoodmovies have been made about the Mafia, thoughthey are almost always set in the US. The mostfamous is the Academy Award-winning film TheGodfather (1972), direcr -ted by Francis Ford Cop-pola and starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.Neon sign of the Nuovo Cinema Paradiso in

Giuseppe Tornatores award-winning film

CINEMA AND THE MAFIA

A P O R T R A I T O F S I C I L Y 2 5

the 20th century that the great tragedies were again performed in Sicily. In 1913,Count Mario Tommaso Gargallo and his fellow Syracusans, includingarchaeologist Paolo Orsi(see pp14041) decided to champion the production of Aeschylus Agamemnon.The premiere was held on 16 April 1914 and since then,with the exception of war-time, the Greek Theatre in Syracuse, one of the most beautiful in the world, hasremained a venue for ancient theatre thanks to the efforts of the Istituto Nazionale delDramma Antico (National Institute of Ancient Drama,see p139). Many famous99theatre personalities have participated in these produc-tions over the years, includingpoets Salvatore Quasimodo(see p23) and Pier Paolo Pasolini as translators, andthe actors Giorgio Albertazziand Vittorio Gassman.

CLASSICAL THEATREIN SICILY

Ancient theatre in Sicily can boast a great genius

as its adoptive father, since Aeschylus (525456 BC), who is regarded as the inventor of Greektragedy, spent long periods in Sicily and died here. A number of his works were first produced in Syracuse

(see pp1389). Sicily was therefore wellacquainted with, and

assimilated, the subject matter of Greek theatre:freedom versus destiny, the sense of divine power and

human suffering, the anguish of the trage-dies and excoriating, bitter satire of thecomedies. Classical

theatre declined with the fall of the western RomanEmpire, and it was not until

Programme of the Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico, set up in 1925

Sicilian theatre is mostclosely identified with Luigi Pirandello (18671936), but there is also a rich traditionof theatre in Siciliandialect. This theatreform dates from the Middle Ages, but its greatest interpreterswere active in thelate 19th century.Popular actors includedGiuseppeRizzotto (I((Mafiusi de laVicaria, The Mafiosi of the Vicariate,1863) and GiovanniGrasso, and playwrightNino Mar-toglio, who in 1903 founded the Grande CompagniaDrammaticaSiciliana. Luigi Pirandello also began his theatre career with comedies in dialect such as Il Berretto a Sonagli(1917), but he gained international renown in the1920s with his plays writtenin Italian. In 1921 he wrote Six Characters in Search of an Author and, the following ryear, Henry IV. In these VVplays, probably his greatest, Pirandello deals with thethemes that made him world-famous: the rela-tionship between illusion and reality, existentialhypocrisy and the need to find a profound identity.

SICILIAN THEATRE

Sicilian puppets, now sought afterby antique dealers

The original script of Il Berretto aSonagli by Pirandello (1917)i

THE OPERA DEI PUPIPupi are large Sicilianirod puppets. They date from the 1600s butbecame a huge successonly in the late 1800s. The traditional puppetopera stories narrate the adventures of Charlemagne and hispaladins, but there are also more modern topics revolving around

Garibaldi and King Vittorio Emanuele. Famous puppeteers included Greco, who was based in Palermo,and the Grasso family from Catania, renowned craftsmenin their own right.

Sicilian playwrightNino Martoglio

(18701921)

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y 2 7

Pietro Novelli, St Benedict Offering the Book of the Order, San Castrense Monreale (16th century)rr

THE HISTORY OF SICILY

Sicily in a 1692 print showing its three provinces: Val di Demona, Val di Noto, Val di Mazara

The most striking aspectof Sicilian history is theenormous influenceof all the different peopleswho have colonized the island. Even the Sicani,Elymi and Siculi, the firstpopula t ions to leavetraces of their cultures in Sic i ly , came from o t h e r p a r t s o f t h e Mediterranean. They were followed by the Carthaginians and thenby the Greeks, under whom Sicily saw its firstreal period of great splendour. Greekdomination ended in 212 BC with thesiege of Syracuse, in which the greatinventor Archimedes was killed. For the next six centuries, the islandbecame the bread basket of the Roman Empire and during this per iod acquired a social system that was to be its distinguishing characteristic for centuries. After the fall of the Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions,Sicily was ruled by the Byzantines. The

island was then conquered by theArabs, under whom it became

one of the most prosperous and tolerant lands in theMediterranean. The next rulers were the Normans, who laid the foundations for the splendid court of Frederick II in Palermo. A long period of deca-dence coincided with thedwindling of the Middle Ages. The Angevins, Aragonese and Bourbons in turn took power in Sicily, but these dynasties

exploited the island and treated it like a colony instead of improving life for the people there. Giuseppe Garibaldis expedition in 1860 paved the way for the unification of Italy. Despite initial neglect by the central Italian govern-ment, Sicilians were finally given control of their own affairs. Yet many YYlong-standing economic and socialproblems still need to be tackled and resolved, in particular, the continuingpresence of the Mafia in Sicily.

Hercules killinga deer

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y2 8

BARBARIANS AND BYZAGREEKS

600 BC 400 AD 1 200 400 600

600 BC 400 200 AD 1 200 400 600ROMANS

200

Because of its strategic position in the middle of the Mediterranean, Sicily has always been fought overby leading powers. Its history is therefore one ofsuccessive waves of foreign domination: Greek tyrants,Roman proconsuls and barbarian chieftains, then the Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, the Hohenstaufen monarchs, the Angevin and Aragonese dynasties, the Spanish viceroys and then the Bourbons, the lastforeign rulers in Sicily before Italy was unified.

Justinian I,the Byzantine emperor,

annexes Sicily in AD 535

The Conquerors of Sicily

Diocletian divides theRoman Empire in AD285. Sicily remains part of the Western Empire

ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTSIn at least two significant periods, artists and

scientists played a leading role in the long and eventful history of Sicily. The out-standing figure was Archimedes, born inSyracuse in 287 BC and on intimate terms with the ruler Hieron II. Thanks to the

ingenious machines of war he invented, the city was able to resist Roman siege for three

years (215212 BC). Another great moment in Sicilian history came when the court of Frederick II in Palermo became known for

its artists, poets and architects in the1300s. Palermo became a leading centrefor intellectuals.Archimedes, the great

Syracusan scientist

5th century BCBattles for supremacy in Sicily between theGreek and Puniccolonies

Cleandrosinitiates the period of tyrannical rulein Gela

Hippocratessucceeds Clean-dros and extendsGelas dominion

Gelonconquers

Syracuse in 490 BC

Therontyrant in

Agrigentoin 488 BC

Ducetius, last king of the Siculi,

dies in 440 BC

Dionysius the Elder becomes tyrant ofSyracuse in 405 BC and rules for 38 years

Dionysius the Youngersucceeds his father in 368 BC

Timoleonrestoresdemocracyin Syracusein 339 BC

Hieron II(265215 BC)

Verres becomes the Romangovernor in 7371 BC and is notorious for his corrupt rule

Genseric, chief of the Vandals, conquers Sicily in AD 440

Odoacer and the Ostrogoths conquer Sicilyin AD 491. He

is succeeded by Theodoric

King Pyrrhusat Syracuse(280275 BC)

The Romans conquer Sicilydefinitively in 212 BC

The Peloponnesian War (431404 BC),brings an attack on

Syracuse by the Athenian army, who

are later defeated

Agathocles,king of Syracuse

(317289 BC)

T H E H I S T O R Y O F S I C I L Y 2 9

ANTINES NORMANS BOURBONS

800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

800 1000 1200 1600 1800ARABS ANGEVINS AND ARAGONESE SAVOY

1400

The Arabs begin theirinvasion of Sicily in 827 and conquer the island in 902

Charles I of Anjouwrests the throne of Sicily from Manfred.He dies in 1285.

Frederick II, emperor from 1216, is King of Sicily from

1197 to 1250, the year of his death. He moved his

court to Palermo

Vittorio Emanuele IIof Savoy becomes thefirst king of a unified

Italy. Sicily forms a part of the new

kingdom, havingvoted for annexationfollowing Garibaldis

conquest of theisland in 1860

Roger I, the Normanlord, conquers Sicily in1091 after a war lasting

30 years

Tancred(119094)

William I(115466)

William II(116689)

Henry VI,emperor and son of Barbarossa, conquersSicily in1194. He dies in 1197

Manfred,the naturalson ofFrederickII, rulesSicily until1266

Charles II succeedshis father Charles Ibut in 1288 is forced tocede Sicily to Peter IIIof Aragn, who hadoccupied the islandin 1282

James II of Aragn(128696)

Frederick IIof Aragn(12961337)

Peter II ofAragn(133741)

Louisof Aragn(134155)

Duke John ofPegnafiel, sonof Ferdinand of Castille, beginsthe viceroyalty period in 1412. This system of rule lasts for three centuries

The viceroys(above, SeverinoFilangieri) govern Sicily for theSpanish sovereigns until 1713

Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy acquires Sicily in 1713 through the Peace of Utrecht, ceding it to

the Hapsburgs ofAustria in 1718

Charles III of Spainacquires Sicily fromAustria in 1735 andgoverns until 1759

Ferdinand(17591825)

unifies thekingdoms of

Naplesand Sicily in

1816

Ferdinand II(183059)is the last Bourbon ruler in Sicily

Roger II(11051154)

Frederick III of Aragn(135577),whose death triggers a period of struggle andstrife that brings aboutthe end ofthe Kingdomof Sicily

Prehistoric and Ancient Sicily

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y3 0

TIMELINE

The double oaron the stern was

used as arudder.

When Greek colonists arrived in Sicily in the 8th century BC, in the east they found the Siculi a Mediterranean popu-lation that had been there since 2,000 BC and the Phoenicians to the west. The former weresoon assimilated, while the latter were ousted after the Battle of Himera (480 BC). This markedthe beginning of Greek supre-macy and the height of the

Magna Graecia civilization, which ended in 212 BC with the Roman conquest of Syracuse. Roman Sicily saw the rise of large feudal estates andthe imposition of taxes. Christianity began tospread in the 3rd4thcenturies AD.

850730 BC Third period of Siculan civilization12701000 BC

First period of Siculan

civilization

1500 BC Contactsbetween Aeolianand Cretan and Minoan cultures

1000850 BCSecond period

of Siculancivilization

The goddess Athena

Female bust(470460 BC)

MYTHS AND GODSMagna Graeciaadopted the religion of the mother country while adding local myths and legends. Mount Etna wasseen as the home of Hephaestus, thegod of fire, whom the Romansidentified with Vulcan. Homer chose the island of Vulcano, in the Aeolians, as the workplace of this fiery god of blacksmiths. At Aci Trezza on TTthe Ionian Sea, a group of stacksis known as the islands of theCyclops, since it was believed that they were the boulders Polyphemushurled against Ulysses in the famousepisode in Homers Odyssey.

Mother GoddessThis intense limestone statue,an archetype of femininity, dates from the middle of the 6th century BC and is in the MuseoArcheologico of Syracuse (seepp14041).

VOYAGE TO SICILYThe ships the Greeks used for

the dangerous trip to Sicily were called triremes. These

galleys were about 35 m(115 ft) long, were faster and more agile than the

Phoenician vessels andtravelled about 100 km

(62 miles) per day. They weremanned by a crew of

200 and were equipped for transport and battle.

8th century BC Greeks colonize east, Phoenicians west.

Panormos (Palermo) foundeds

730650 BCFourth period of

Siculan civilization

733 BC Dorians from Corinth found Syracuse

628 BCSelinuntefounded

729 BCKatane(Catania)founded

480 BC Battle of Himera:Greeks de-feat Cartha-ginians

Stern

1600 BC 1300 BC 4001000 BC 800 BC

GREEK COLONIZATIONOF THE MEDITERRANEAN

Zeus, the supreme Greek deity

600 BC

413 BCAthenian

invasion led by Nicias and

Alcibiades atotal failure

T H E H I S T O R Y O F S I C I L Y 3 1

Aeschylus, the great Greek tragedian whowas also active in Syracuse

Prehistoric VillageRemains of

settlements dating from the beginning

of the first millennium BC lie

all over Sicily.However, the first populations who

left traces in Sicily (Sicani, Elymi

and Siculi) were not native people.

The third rank of oars (hence trireme or three oars), was onan external deck jut-ting out from the hull. Everything was care-fully calculated so that the 170 oar movements weresynchronized.

A trireme drew only about 60 cm (24 in).

WHERE TO SEEANCIENT SICILYAlmost every Sicilian town of any size has an archaeological museum.The most interesting prehistoric ruins are to be found in the islands, parti-cularly the Aeolians (see pp18891),while the few Punic remains are on display in the museums. The mainGreek sites include Segesta (see p98),Selinunte (see pp1046), Syracuse

(see pp13643), theValle dei Templiat Agrigento (see

pp11617) and Morgantina (seepp1289). One of

the best preservedRoman sites is the

ancient villa at Piazza Armerina (see pp12931).

Femaleclay bust

212 BCSyracuseconquered by Romans. Sicilyloses itsautonomy

AD 293 The emperor Diocletian makes Sicilyregio suburbicaria, or directly dependent on

Rome

AD 440During the barbarianinvasions of Italy the

Vandals led by Gensericconquer Sicily

AD 491 The Ostrogothsunder Odoacer take Sicily from the Vandals

AD 325Christianizationof the Syracusearea

AD 600Christianizationof all of Sicily

AD 535 Sicilybecomes part of Justinians EasternRoman Empire

The Roman VillasRoman dominion in Sicily brought about the spread of latifundia (large feudal estates) and landowners villas such as the Villa del Casale (see pp13031), whose mosaics were preserved thanks to a flood that buried them for centuries.

The spur was used to destroy the oars on enemy vessels.

400 600AD 200AD 1200

4th-century BCcrater

Medieval SicilyThe frequent Arab raidsbecame in 827 a realcampaign to conquer Sicily, which ended successfully in902. Arab dominion coincided with the rebirth of the island

after the decadence of the final years of Byzantine rule. In 1061the Christian crusade began,the Normans conquering Sicily

30 years later. The Kingdom of Sicily was estab-lished in 1130 and reached its zenith with thesplendour of Frederick IIs court. In 1266 theAngevin dynasty took power, followed by theAragonese, initiating a long period of decline in which powerful feudal landowners ruled the island.

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y3 2

Val Demone

Val di Noto

Val di Mazara

The poorand illare spared.

TancredThe natural son of Roger II,

Tancred was appointed king of Sicily by the feudal barons in 1190. He was the last

Norman to rule Sicily. When he died, the

emperor Henry VI, son of Barbarossa and

father of Federico II, ascended the throne.

Sicily under Arab RuleDuring the century of Arab dominion Sicily was the richest and most tolerant land inthe Mediterranean.The governing administration was reorganized and the arts and culture flourished to anexceptional degree,as can be seen in this

decorated coffer.

The dog leads theman in the night

of death.

TIMELINE

827 Arab conquest of Sicily begins

902 Taormina surrenders, Arab conquestcompleted

Coin with Arab inscriptions

700 800 1000

725 Worship of sacred images isprohibited. The possessions of the Sicilian church are confiscated by the patriarchate in Constantinople

1091 After 30 years of war-fare, Sicily is once again a

Christian land thanks to theNorman Roger I

831 Palermobecomes capital of the Arabemirate

10381043 Eastern Sicily is temporarily reconquered

by ByzantiumThe Virgin

of Odigitria, Lentini

900

Coin with imperialcoat of arms THE ARAB REGIONS OF SICILY

T H E H I S T O R Y O F S I C I L Y 3 3

Deathstrikes withbow andarrows, like a horseman of the Apocalypse.

THE TRIUMPH OF DEATHThis mid-15th-century fresco, painted and keptin Palermo (see pp523),drew inspiration from theApocalypse: Death is ahorseman armed withbows and arrows whokills the rich and sparesthe poor. These symbolictriumphs were common in medieval iconography.

A ladymaintainsher proud attitude.

The rich andpowerful are killedwith arrows.

Representation of the World

After the conquest of Sicily, the Normans and Hohenstaufens

assimilated the culture of the Arabs, as can

be seen in this representation of

the world, executed in the Norman period

by an Arab artist.

MEDIEVAL CASTLESThis illustration shows the 12th13th-century Norman castle at Erice, an example of the mili-

tary architecture of the time. It is also known as Venus Castle because it was built near an ancient temple and incorporated Phoenicianand Roman architectural elements. There

are many other medieval fortificationsin Sicily. The main ones are those at

Sperlinga (see p93), Caccamo (see pp945), Mussomeli and Naro (see p121), Montechiaro and Falconara (see pp1223), Enna (see p127), Syracuse(see p143), Catania (see p165), Aci Castello (p168) and Milazzo (see p187).

Paupersgraves

Cells

CouncilChamber

Phoeniciawalls

Well Romanbaths

Loggiadel Bajulo

WHERE TO SEE MEDIEVAL SICILYBesides the castles (see above), do not miss the Cappella Palatina in Palermo(see pp623), MonrealeCathedral (see pp767),and the towns of Cefal(see pp8891) and Erice (see pp1001), including their cathedrals. Despite some rebuilding, the many villages that have preserved their Arab town planning layoutare also interesting sites.

The tiara of Constance of Aragn, Frederick IIs wife

1130Roger II is

crownedKing of

Sicily.Palermo isthe capital

1194 Henry VI conquers Sicily and makes it part

of his empire

1265 Charles of Anjou crowned King of Sicily by the Pope

1282 The Sicilian Vespers revolt overthrows the Angevin rulers and Peter of Aragn becomes the new king

1302 The Peace of Caltabellotta sanctions the independence of the Kingdom of Sicily

1415 Ferdinandof Castile sendshis first viceroy,Giovanni diPegnafiel, to Sicily

1377 Under Maria of Aragnwar breaks out among thefeudal landowners, whichleads to the union of the Kingdom of Sicily and theKingdom of Aragn

1250 The death of the emperor

Frederick II marksthe end of Sicilys

most glorious period

1100 1300 14001200

From Spanish Rule to Unified Italy

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y3 4

Kingdom of Two Sicilies

Papal States

Grand Duchy of Tuscany

Hapsburg Empire

Kingdom of Sardinia

Duchy of Modena

Duchy of Parma-Piacenza

THE STATES OF ITALY

TIMELINE

In 1415 Sicily became an Aragonese pro-vince ruled by a viceroy. The islands

economic and cultural decadencecontinued, partly because the Jews were driven away. A series of revolts was subdued with the help of thePopes Holy Office. There was a slightrecovery after the devastating earth-quake of 1693, which destroyed easternSicily. After brief periods of Savoyardand Austrian dominion, in 1735 Sicilypassed to the Bourbons, in constant

battles with the land barons. In 1814 the island became a province of the Kingdom of Naples; popular unrestled to Garibaldis 1860 expedition and union with the burgeoning Kingdom of Italy. The late 1800s weremarked by banditry and poverty in the rural areas.

Painter Pietro Novelli (1603 47)

1442 Alfonso V unites thecrowns of Sicily and Naples,thus founding the Kingdomof Two Sicilies

1415 First year of the Viceroyalty, which ends in 1712

1571 The harbour in Messina houses the

Christian fleet that later wins the Battle of Lepanto

against the Ottomans

Manyvolunteers

joinedGaribaldis1,000 Red

Shirts.

Nino Bixio was immortalized in GiovanniVergas short story Libert (see p174).

The 1693 EarthquakeOn the night of 9 January 1693, Mount Etna burst into life. Twodays later, the Earth was rent from its bowels, as the historianDi Blasi said. The earthquake,seen above in a print of the time,levelled 23 towns, including Catania, Noto and Lentini.

GiuseppeGaribaldi, a socialist, set

off for Sicily despite

Cavours initialopposition.

1450 1500 1550 1600

1458 Alfonso V dies andSicily is again ruled by Spain

1535 Emperor Charles V visits Sicily

1649 Palermo revolt

The Battle of Lepanto

T H E H I S T O R Y O F S I C I L Y 3 5

Composers and AuthorsIn the 19th century,cultural life flourished in Sicily. The leading figures at this time were writer Giovanni Verga(18401922)and composer Vincenzo Bellini (180135), seenin this portrait.

The Baroque PeriodThis stucco work (c.1690)in Palermo (see pp567)

by Giacomo Serpotta represents The Battleof Lepanto and is amarvellous example of the style that became known as

Sicilian Baroque.

GARIBALDI INVADES SICILYOn 11 May 1860, a thousand volunteersled by Giuseppe Garibaldi (180782) landed in Marsala to conquer the Kingdomof the Two Sicilies. They succeeded in thisincredible feat, taking Palermo, then Messina and lastly Naples by storm.

The Revolt of MessinaThis print depicts the 1848 insurrectionat Messina. The city was bombarded by

Ferdinand, afterwards known as re Bomba, or king Bomb.

Giovanni Verga

1650 1700 1750 1800

The Sicilian Parliament

1850

1674 Revoltin Messina

1693 A disastrous

earthquakedestroys most

of eastern Sicily

1713 With the Peace of Utrecht, Sicilyis ceded first to Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy and then (1720) to the Habsburgs

1735 The Spanish Bourbons become new rulers of Sicily

1759 Sicily taken over by the Kingdom of Naples

1812 The SicilianParliament sanctions an

English-type constitution

1820 First uprisings

1848 Theentire island

hit by revolts, especially

Messina

The Sulphur MinesAfter the unification of Italy,sulphur mining began inthe Sicilian interior.Children were employed for their small size and agility.

1860 GaribaldisRed Shirts invade in May. In Octoberthe people vote tomerge with King-dom of Italy

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y3 6

Modern SicilyThe new century began with the catastrophic1908 quake in Messina. For the most partexcluded from the process of modernization,Sicily was a living contradiction: its splendidcultural life as opposed to poverty, backwardness and the spread of the Mafia which, despite allattempts to curb its activities, had become averitable state within a state. However, thanksto the perseverance and courage of publicservants and growing publicawareness of the problem,the Mafia seems to be less powerful than before.

1943 After heavybombardment, the Allies

land in Sicily on 10 July and take it in 38 days

1901 Manypeople wounded during clashesbetween policeand workmen

1922Giovanni Verga dies in Catania

1923 Mount Etna eruptionin June destroystowns of Catenaand Cerro,barely missingLinguaglossaand Castiglione.The king and Mussoliniinspect thedamage

1901 Famousstatesman fromAgrigento, Francesco Crispi, dies

1908 The nightof 28 Decembermarks thegreatest disaster in 20th-century Sicily: a quaketotally destroysMessina and kills 100,000 persons

1950The banditGiuliano is

betrayed by his cousin

GasparePisciotta and

killed1920 The farmersrebel against thelandowners. At Riberathe Duke of Bivona iskidnapped

1921 At Rome, LuigiPirandello directs thepremire of hisfamous play SixCharacters in Searchof an Author

1945The founder ofthe the Sicilian

SeparatistMovement,

Finocchiaro, is arrested

1919 Don Luigi Sturzo,from Caltagirone, founds the Partito

Popolare and becomes its leader. After World

War II the party is renamed Democrazia

Cristiana

1934 Pirandello wins Nobel Prize for Literature

1937 Popular Catanian actor Angelo Musco

dies

1936Luigi

Pirandellodies in Rome

1941 Syracusan novelist Elio Vittorini publishes

Conversationin Sicily

1902Heavy autumn rainfall triggersa tragic flood in southern Sicily,especially in Modica, inwhich 300people lose their lives

1947Salvatore Giulianos

bandits shootdemonstrators:

11 dead, 56 wounded

1930 Mussolinisends prefectCesare Mori to try to suppress the Mafia

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950

T H E H I S T O R Y O F S I C I L Y 3 7

1959 Poet SalvatoreQuasimodo, born in Modica, wins NobelPrize for Literature, the second Sicilianto do so in less than20 years

1968 A huge quake in northwestern Sicilyclaims over 400 victims

1982 Communistdeputy Pio La Torre

is killed by the Mafia

1984 Theformer mayor of Palermo,VitoCiancimino,is arrested

July 1992 Paolo Borsellino, the magistrate who workedwith Falcone, isassassinated in Palermo

1995 After years in hiding,top Mafia bossTot Riina is arrested

1987 In a trial in Palermohundreds of Mafiosi arecondemned to a total of 2,600years in prison. The verdict isbased on the confessions of Tommaso Buscetta

1983 Thanks to a sophisticated system of controlled explosions,a lava flow from Mount Etna is

deviated for the first time

2002 InFebruary theeuro replaced the lira as the only legal tender

1982Carabiniere general Carlo Alberto DallaChiesa, new prefect of Palermo, is assassinated

1980 A DC9crashes nearUstica, with 81victims. The cause of the accident has never beenexplained

1971 Another eruptionof Mount Etna. InPalermo, the Mafia kills Public Prosecutor Pietro Scaglione

1958 Giuseppe Tomasidi Lampedusas novelIl Gattopardo, published posthumously, is greatsuccess

2006 After 43 yearson the run,

Mafia godfatherBernardo Provenzano

is arrested in Sicily

1957Rebellion inUcciardoneprison inPalermo

May 1992 Judge Giovanni Falcone, for years a huge thorn in the side of the Mafia, is killed in an ambush

near Capaci

1968 Clashesbetween farmlabourers and

police at Avolacause 2 deaths

1972 In May a plane crashes near Punta Raisi, thePalermo airport, and 115 personsare killed. InDecember, Mafia boss TommasoBuscetta isarrested; he is thefirst Mafioso tocooperate with Italian justice

1966 A landslide at Agrigento,perhaps caused by illegalbuilding construction, leaves10,000 people homeless

1970 19901960 1980 2000

1970 19901960 1980 2000

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y3 8

Sicilians say thatSicily has the most beautiful sky in the world; certainly the island enjoys more than 2,000hours of sunshine peryear, more than any other part of Europe. The climate is generally mild, but it can gethot in high summer. In 1885 the temperature rose to 49.6 C

(121.3 F), the highest ever recorded in Italy.However, winters can be

cold, especially inland, and Mount Etna remains snow-capped into the spring. A

land of ancient customs and deep-rooted beliefs, Sicily has

preserved most of its traditional celebrations, almost all of them religious in nature.

S IC ILY THROUGHTHE YEAR

SPRING

Spring generally beginsearly in Sicily, although the weather can be quite unpre-dictable and patterns vary from year to year. In areaswith orchards the air is filled with the scent of springblossoms, and early flowers make this a particularly lovely time for visiting ancient sites. This is also the season withthe greatest number of feast-days, processions and festi-vals (sagre). Almost all these

events are linked with thecelebration of Easter.

EASTER WEEK

Celebrazione dei Misteri(all week), Enna. The Stations of the Cross celebrations and processions all week long. Festa del Pane (bread) (allweek), San Biagio dei Platani and Agrigento. Breadsculpture and decoration.Giorni della Pena (Wed,Thu, Fri), Caltanissetta. Days of suffering and grief, withimpressive processions.Maundy Thursday Procession,Marsala. A kilometre of

masked figures.Festa della Crocifissione

(Fri), Calatafimi, Trapani.Il Cristo Morto (Fri),Partanna, Trapani. TheCrucifixion is re-enacted.Processione dei Misteri (Fri),Trapani. Groups of statues and hooded mencommemorate Christssacrifice in the Processionof Mysteries, which lastsfor 20 hours.Ballo dei Diavoli (Sun),Prizzi, Palermo. Masked men perform the devils dance,which symbolizes the strugglebetween good and evil.

MAY

International WindsurfingChampionship, Mondelloand Palermo.Classic Theatre, alternateyears at Syracuse and Segesta.Settimana delle Egadi,island of Favignana. Thetraditional mattanza tuna fishing method is celebrated.LInfiorata, Noto. The streets are filled with images and words created with flowers.

Christs crucifixion re-enactedat Partanna, Trapani

The Trinacria, ancientsymbol of Sicily

MARCH

Sagra del Carciofo (arti-chokes), Cerda, Palermo. Sagra della Ricotta, Sicilian cheese, celebrated at Musso-meli near Caltanissetta.

APRIL

Sagra della Ricotta e delFormaggio (cheeses), Vizzini.

The Sfilata dei Misteri, which takesplace on Good Friday in Trapani

Festa della Crocifissione (Feast of the Crucifixion) procession, Calatafimi

S I C I L Y T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R 3 9

SUMMER

Sports, summer vacations, many important musicalevents, folk celebrations and food festivals characterize the long summer in Sicily.

The weather does, however,get extremely hot in certainplaces on the island, particu-larly inland but occasionally even in coastal areas.

JUNE

Fiera Campionaria (first two weeks), Palermo. A samples fair for the Mediterranean countries, with exhibitions and meetings.International TennisTournament, Palermo.Sagra della Ricotta (cheese), Prizzi, Palermo.RappresentazioniPirandelliane (JunAug),Agrigento. Luigi Pirandelloshome town is the venue for theme theatre events.Efebo dOro InternationalPrize, Agrigento. A prize is awarded to the best filmadaptation of a novel.Sagra delle Fragole e deiFrutti di Bosco (fruits),Maletto sullEtna, Catania.Taormina Arte (JunAug).Cultural events at the Greek Theatre,with leading figuresfrom the entertainment world.

JULY

Festa di Santa Rosalia (914 Jul), Palermo. Six days of festivities in honour of thecitys patron saint, who,according to legend, savedPalermo from the terribleplague of 1624.Sagra del Peperone (peppers),Sutera, Caltanissetta.International Medieval and Renaissance Music Week(JulAug), Erice. A cele-bration of ancient music.Festa di San Giuseppe (lastweek). Terrasini, Palermo.St Joseph is honoured witha procession of fishing boats bearing the saints statue.Fried fish for everybodyin the main square.Festa di San Giacomo (24 and 25 July), Caltagirone.The towns long ceramicstairway is decoratedwith lighted candles representing assortedfigures and scenes.InternationalCinema, Music,Theatre and Dance Festival (JulAug),Taormina. Animportant inter-national festival that forms part of the Taormina Arteseries of events.

AUGUST

Festa della Spiga(110 Aug), Gangi, Palermo. An entireweek of games,parades andspectacles.Festa dellaCastellana (first Sun),Caccamo. An all-women feast that

SunshineSicily has the highest average hours of sun-shine in the whole of Europe. As the chart shows, the sunniest time is from May to September. In the autumn and winter months it may becold and rainy.

AVERAGE DA

FebJan Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

re-enacts the period whenthe lords and grand ladies of the castle ran the town.Palio dei Normanni (1314Aug), Piazza Armerina.Historical re-enactment inperiod costume of varioustests of courage on horse-back, in honour of the greatNorman king, Roger I.Processione della Vara and Cavalcata dei Giganti (15Aug), Messina. Giganticstatues of the founders of Messina, Mata and Grifone,are paraded through the streets, followed by a floatbearing a huge, elaboratetriumphal cart and tableaucalled the Vara.Sagra del PomodoroSeccagno (tomatoes),Villalba, Caltanissetta.Celebration of one of the islands most commonly and successfully grown products.

The statues of Mata and Grifone at Messina

The Pepper Festival at Sutera

12

9

6

3

0

I N T R O D U C I N G S I C I L Y4 0

AVERAGE MONTHLY RAINFALL

MM

FebJan Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

nches

OCTOBER

Sagra del Pesco (peaches),Leonforte, Enna.Extempora, Palermo.

An important andfascinating antiques fair.Festival sul Novecento,Palermo. First held in 1997, the 20th-Century Festival attracts media people, leading artists,

writers and film directors.Ottobrata, ZafferanaEtnea, Catania. Every

Sunday in October, inthis village close toMount Etna, the mainsquare is filled with stalls

selling produce and articlesmade by local craftsmen.

AUTUMN

This season begins late inSicily, as September and oftenOctober continue sunny andwarm. In autumn you can see many of the characteristicfestivals celebrating localproduce, such as grapes, and the theatre, classical music,opera and the football(soccer) season all resume their annual cycle.

SEPTEMBER

Sagra del Miele(honey; SepOct),ttSortino, Syracuse.Sagra del Pane (bread), Monterosso Almo, Ragusa. Sagra della Salsiccia (saus-ages), Milena, Caltanissetta.Sagra della Mostarda(mustard), Regalbuto, Enna.Sagra dellUva (grapes),Vallelunga, Caltanissetta;Roccazzo and Chiaramonte Gulfi, Ragusa.Coppa degli Assi, Palermo. Grand Prix of horsemanship at the Parco della Favorita.Festa della Madonna della Luce (811 Sep), Mistretta, Messina. The symbolic dance

NOVEMBER

Medilibro (mid-Nov),Palermo. Mediterranean book fair with the participation of all the leading publishers inthe area.Religious Music Week,Monreale. Another greatmusical event, after the one held at Erice (July), whichtakes place in Monrealessplendid medieval abbey.

Ballet performances, staged at the theatres in Catania and Palermo

RainfallAs the chart shows, in the six months from April to September there is very littlerain. In autumn,by contrast, violent storms are common throughout theisland, raising the average rainfall.

Statue for the Festadi San Vincenzo, at Aragona

of two armed giants and (on the third day) the Madonna della Luce procession.Festa di San VincenzoAragona, Agrigento. Masked revellers go in processionthrough the town.Bellini Festival, Catania. Organized by the city operacompany.Vini dellEtna, MilosullEtna, Catania. Exhibition and sale of the wines madefrom grapes grown on the slopes of Mount Etna.

100

75

50

25

0

4

3

2

1

0

PUBLIC HOLIDAYSIN SICILYNew Years Day (1 Jan)Epiphany (6 Jan)Easter Sunday and MondayLiberation Day (25 Apr)Labour Day (1 May)Ferragosto (15 Aug)All Saints Day (1 Nov)ImmaculateConception (8 Dec)Christmas (25 Dec)Santo Stefano (26 Dec)

S I C I L Y T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R 4 1

AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE

FebJan Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

C F

JANUARY

Festival diMorgana(JanFeb),Palermo. Aninternationalmarionette

workshop of the Opera dei Pupi,held at the Museo

Internazionale delle Marionet-te, with plays and exhibits.Festa di San SebastianoAcireale, Catania. On 20 Jan

It includes lectures andproductions of his plays.Festa di Santa Lucia (13 Dec),Syracuse. On the saints feastday, her statue is taken out in a public procession andis then placed on publicexhibition for eight daysfor people to worship.

Natale a Taormina(DecJan). Christ-mas fair withstreet theatre andgospel music.

TemperatureFrom May to Sep-tember the average temperature is rarely below 20 C (68 F), and, except for very unusual weather, it is seldom below 10 C (50 F) any other month. July and August may seepeaks of more than 40 C (104 F).

WINTER

Winter in Sicily is usually cool and often rainy, and may notbe the ideal season to visit the interior and the larger towns. In February you mightsee one of the many Carnival festivities held throughout the island, which are famous for their originality andthe enthusiasticparticipation ofthe local people.

DECEMBER

Handicrafts Fair,Palermo. In Piazza Politeama, an exhibition of handicrafts from all over the island. Rassegna di StudiPirandelliani, Agrigento.This workshop is important for all Pirandello scholars.

The carnival at Acireale, considered one of the most colourful in Sicily

The Madonna delSoccorso, celebrated at

Sciacca in February

The Festa del Mandorlo in Fiore, Valle dei Templi at Agrigento

FEBRUARY

Festa della Madonna delSoccorso, Sciacca.Festa del Mandorlo in Fiore(Festival of the Almond Treein Bloom), Agrigento. The arrival of spring is celebrated in the Valley of Temples. Atthe same time there is the Folklore Festival, which for more than 50 years hasfeatured folk music and dancefrom all over the world.Festa di SantAgata (35Feb), Catania. The city is filledwith strangers who invokethe saints protection, while Catanians, dressed only in sackcloth, bear her statuein an impressive procession.Carnival, Acireale.Allegorical floats, a colourful atmosphere and huge crowds. Carnival, Sciacca.Together with Acireale, the most famous carnival in Sicily.Sagra della Salsiccia, delDolce e della Trota (sausage,pastries and trout), Palazzolo Acreide, Syracuse.

the saints statue is takenfrom his church on an elabo-rately decorated wooden floatand borne in a procession infront of a huge crowd.

30

24

18

12

6

0

85

75

65

55

45

32

PALERMO AREA BY AREA

PALERMO AT A GLANCE 4445

EAST PALERMO 4657

WEST PALERMO 5869

FURTHER AFIELD 7077

Palermo at a Glance

The cloister of San Giovanni degli Eremiti (pp645)

P A L E R M O A R E A B Y A R E A4 4

P A L E R M O A T A G L A N C E 4 5

(see pp66 7).

PALERMO

For additional map symbols see back flap

Q

n

4 7

Christ Pantocrator in the mosaic decoration on the cupola of La Martorana (12th century)

EAST PALERMO

Museums and GalleriesMuseo Archeologico

Regionale rMuseo Internazionale

delle Marionette 4Palazzo Abatellis pp523 2

Historic BuildingsPalazzo delle Aquile 8Palazzo Mirto 5

Streets and SquaresPiazza Marina 1

ChurchesLa Gancia 3La Magione wLa Martorana 0Oratorio del Rosario

di San Domenico iOratorio del Rosariodi

di Santa Cita ySan Cataldo qSan Domenico uSan Francesco dAssisi 6

Santa Caterina 9Santa Maria dello Spasimo e

MarketsMercato della Vucciria t

MonumentsFontana Pretoria 7

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Between Via Maqueda and the sea lie the old Arabquarters of Palermo,with their maze of narrow streets and blind alleys. This area includes the Kalsa quarter (fromthe Arabic al-Halisah, or theChosen), which was built by theArabs in the first half of the 10thcentury as the seat of theEmirate, the government and the army. During the Norman era it became the sailors and fishermens quarter. It was badly damaged in World War II, and many parts are still being restored. Most of the Aragonese

monuments, dating from the lateMiddle Ages and the Renaissance, are in the Kalsa. The focal point isPiazza Marina, for a long time theheart of city life and seat of theAragonese court and the Inqui-sition courtroom. Via Maquedaopens onto Piazza Pretoria, thecivic heart of Palermo, with Palazzo delle Aquile, SantaCaterina and San Giuseppe dei Teatini. West of Corso Vittorio

Emanuele is Castellammare,with the Vucciria market andthe Loggia quarter near the

port , where Catalan, Pisan andGenoese communities once lived.

KEY

Street-by-Street mapSee pp489

Railway station

MetroQ station

Touristn information

Statue of the FontanaPretoria

0 metres

0 yards

350

350

Street-by-Street: Around Piazza MarinaThe main square in Old Palermo lies at the edge of the Kalsa quarter. Fromthe Middle Ages onwards it was used for knights tournaments, theatre performances, markets and publicexecutions. On the occasion of royalweddings, such as the marriage of Charles II and Marie Louise in 1679, impressiveshows were put on in specially builtwooden theatres. The squares irregular four sides are flanked by such monuments

as Palazzo Steri-Chiaramonte, Palazzo del Castillo, Palazzodella Zecca, San Giovanni dei Napoletani, Palazzo dellaGran Guardia, Santa Maria della Catena, Palazzo Galletti and Palazzo Villafiorita. In the middle is the Giardino Garibaldi, shaded by enormous fig trees.

P A L E R M O A R E A B Y A R E A4 8

For hotels and restaurants in this area see p198 and p212

Santa Maria della Catena (early 16th cenowes its name to the chain (catena) acrothe mouth of the city harbour. A broad stairway leads to the beautiful three-archporch of this Catalan Gothic church.

Poster for theMuseodelleMarionette

Piazza MarinaThis is one of the largest squares in Palermo. Once part of the harbour, but long since silted up and reclaimed, its cent