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.