COLLESANO

Collesano is a town in the Palermo province, standing on the slopes of Mount Grotta del Signore. It is surrounded by a fine mountainous landscape with plenty of naturalistic riches.

The town offers several cultural and historical sites as well. The castle, sitting atop a rocky spur, is a symbol of political and secular power, it having long been the residence of Lords Ventimiglias.

The Chiesa Madre dedicated to Santa Maria la Nova and San Pietro Apostolo is from 1400s. It is divided into three naves containing many works of art with paintings depicting the Conversion and Beheading of St. Paul, the Vocation and the Crucifixion of St. Peter; a 1400’s panel dedicated to the Adoration of the Magi, and a Madonna dei Miracoli, being the city patron saint, celebrated on 26 May, the canvas is carried in procession to remember the miraculous intervention of the Virgin that eradicated a terrible plague in 1643.

Other churches deserve a mention: the Chiesa di Santa Maria di Gesù, with an adjacent convent, both dating from the 17^th century, with a bare architecture and a single nave housing a fine marble statue representing the Madonna and Child; the 1300’s Chiesa di San Sebastiano standing next to the 1700’s Collegio di Maria, at the very heart of town, Piazza R. Gallo; the single-nave’s Chiesa di Santa Maria la Vecchia dating back to the 12^th century renowned for being the most ancient church in town and for preserving an Antonello Gagini’s statue of the Virgin. A final mention goes to the Chiesa di San Domenico and to Palazzo dei Baroni Fatta del Bosco.

Several naturalistic sites in the city surroundings are worth-seeing, the town lying at a close distance from the central section of the Madonie chain and from their Park. The road leading through the mountains is highly panoramic and runs past several naturalistic riches such as Piano Zucchi, an impressive park home to a rich wildlife notably composed of fallow-deer and wild-boar.

The road also leads to Piano Battaglia, a well-known area that derives its name from a battle between Arabs and Normans in 1069 and richest in naturalistic spots. These two sites are also major winter attractions most for sky and snow lovers. Monte d’Oro, the Abbazia di San Giorgio and the Casale Volpignano are just some of the many other sites that are worth an excursion.