Palazzo Adriano

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Located in the heart of Sicania, on the northern slopes of Monte delle Rose, Palazzo Adriano, in the province of Palermo, is one of the Italo-Albanian communities present on the island since the time of their expulsion from their native territories by the Ottoman Turks (15th century).

To learn more about Albanian history and culture, just visit the section dedicated to “Arbëreshë Culture” in the halls of the Municipal Museum in Umberto I Square.

Although the community has lost its native language and older customs, it still maintains the Greek-Byzantine rite. If you wish to attend Eastern celebrations, you can do so in the Chiesa Matrice di Maria Santissima Assunta, considered one of the highest Albanian houses of worship in Sicily. It is home to the simulacra of St. Anthony the Great and the Immaculate Conception.

A perfect blend of East and West, Palazzo Adriano is also a stop on the religious itinerary “In the Footsteps of St. Bernard” one of the many Sacred and Faith Routes in Sicily.

Another example of a building dedicated to Greek-Byzantine worship is the Church of Santa Maria del Lume  (17th century), in the very central Umberto Square. Does the square remind you of anything?

You will most certainly have recognized one of the main film sets of the movie Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, a masterpiece which won Sicilian director Giuseppe Tornatore an Oscar in 1988. Dedicated to that extraordinary experience are the “Museum of Cinema” section (inside the Municipal Museum) and a series of stops in the historic center: from “Totò’s House” to “Alfredo’s House,” as well as the interior of the Church of Maria Santissima del Carmelo, where the very film “Paradise” was set.

In addition to the Town Hall, Umberto Square is also characterized by an artifact that recalls the centrality of water in the life of the town: the Octagonal Fountain. A seventeenth-century Baroque style fountain, which, together with the Municipal Washhouse from the Fascist era and the “Water Museum” section ( in the Municipal Museum), links back to the history of the open springs of Fontana Grande and the Gammauta Lake dam.

Not to be missed, on the panoramic slope of Colle San Nicola, is the Bourbon Castle of Palazzo Adriano, a small military fort built around an ancient tower from the Frederician era.

Lovers of greenery and horseback riding can explore the naturalistic surroundings of Palazzo Adriano while immersed in the Monti di Palazzo Adriano e Valle del Sosio Oriented Nature Reserve, taking the Sicani Mountains Horseback Trail: an exciting itinerary in intimate contact with nature.

The peculiar geology of these sites, characterized by the presence of badlands and the striking Saracen Stone, is covered in the section of the Municipal Museum dedicated to the “Geo Naturalistic Aspect of the Permian of the Sosio.”

When should you visit Palazzo Adriano? During the various religious festivals, particularly for the big fair on August 16, ‘A Fèra, combined with the typical procession during which men and women parade barefooted through the streets of the town.

The holidays are also the best opportunity to taste some traditional Palazzo Adriano dishes, such as Easter sweets and traditional breads (Pane di San Giuseppe, Pane di San Nicola, tabisca, muffuletta and fried gostedde). Delicious is the Pasta di San Giuseppe, served with sardines, fennel, toasted bread crumbs and sugar.

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