SICULIANA

 

Siculiana is located at an altitude of about 130m a.s.l. in the province of Agrigento. It nestle atop a hill not far from the African Sea that baths the sandy beaches and jagged coast of the area.

The city has an eventful history, as show many relics discovered across its territory. The earliest information about Siculiana dates back to 1310, when Baron Federico Chiaramonte ordered the reconstruction of an Arabian fortification on the area. Named Kalat-Sugul, it was later ravaged by the Normans. The structure underwent several refurbishments in the following centuries. In the 1500s the noble Catalan Corilles took possession of the city and was granted the permission to settle the environs of the castle. The Boscos, the Filangeris and the Bonannos were its successives Lords.

Siculiana is set amidst a lovely hilly landscape and has fine religious and secular buildings. The baroque Mother Church, dedicated to Saint Leonardo Abata, contains the fine Chapel of the Holy Crucifix, the patron saint of the town. The 1600’s Santuario del Crocifisso has a baroque style with a latin-cross design. It contains numerous paintings and frescoes from the 19th century and a dark-colored wooden Crucifix. Inside is a charming Baptistery Chapel containing a baptismal font with Jewish engravings, royal coat-of-arms and shallow-reliefs depicting events from the Old Testament.

Siculiana Marina is the seaside extension of Siculiana; it is a renowned summer resort on the Sicily Channel, once an important stop for mediterranean ships. The city shore comprises other spots of naturalistic and historical interest. The Torre Costiera di Monterosso is an imposing tower, still in a good condition, set atop a promontory. The Torre Salsa district, one of the Regional Nature Reserves, offers a naturalistic environment with uncontaminated beaches and cliffs and a richest vegetation.