Piazza Armerina

The hill-top town of Piazza Armerina lies 32 kilometres south of Enna and is most famous for housing Sicily’s finest Roman monument "Villa del Casale". Completed in the 4th century the imperial villa was originally owned by Dioletian’s co-Emperor Maximinium and later occupied by the Norman Kings. Renown for the splendid mosaics, Piazza Armerina boasts a conspicuous production of wheat, olives, fruit, and almonds. Cattle breeding and sheep farms are relevant, and the deriving products can be tasted during the annual Fairs held in the months of May and September.

The name Piazza derives from the Latin term Platea or (Platia), that means "square, market". The appositive Armerina was added in 1862 because of the proximity of the homonymous mountain.

Under the Aragonese dynasty, the first Sicilian Parliament was summoned in occasion of the Guerra del Vespro (war of the Vespro). In 1589, the first University was established thanks to the influence of the Jesuits, that was operative until 1767, when this religious order was exiled from Sicily.

The centre of Piazza Armerina is dominated by it’s 14th century cathedral and surrounding the central piazza is the 18th century Palazzo di Citta' and the baroque church of San Rocco. The Church of S. Pietro of 1500, is rich of marble altars and arches, and the baroque Dome and the bell tower in Gothic-Catalan style erected in 1604, preserving paintings of the XVI century and two wooden engraved organs.

Among the urban structures, the most noteworthy are the Spinelli Castle of the XII century, and the Norman style Priorate of S. Andrea built in 1096.

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