PETRALIA SOTTANA
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With its medieval charm and a historic center that boasts the Orange Flag from the Italian Touring Club, the village of Petralia Sottana, in the province of Palermo, is nestled in the Madonie Natural Park.
The historic center of Petralia Sottana is all to be explored, starting with the impressive Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, with its 15th-century portal in Gothic-Catalan style overlaid with the coats of arms of the Cardona family.
Buildings of worship worth visiting include the churches of St. Francis and Trinity and the famous Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Alto, which stands on the top of the homonymous mountain, over 1.000 meters above sea level. Inside there is a miraculous effigy of the Madonna sculpted by Domenico Gagini in 1471.
Different is the story of the ancient Church of Santa Maria alla Fontana, built on a spring where there used to be a mosque: the spring it refers to was apparently used for ablutions prescribed by the Quran.
Among the places not to be missed during a trip to Petralia Sottana is the “Antonio Collisani” Civic Museum, a vital place for understanding the geomorphological and productive history of the territory.
The museum, which offers a multimedial “Interactive Room” dedicated to children, is a real “mine” of information on the Madonie mountain chain and the geological resources that characterize it: from the “Roccioteca” to the “Sala Salgemma”, passing through the fascinating history of the production of “Balate” rock chalk.
Another testimony to the ancient management of the territory is the Catarratti Hydroelectric Power Plant (1908). It remained operative until the 1970s and is among the best-preserved sites of industrial archaeology in Sicily.
Back in Petralia Sottana’s “good living room,” after visiting Palazzo del Giglio, home to the Town Hall and rich in frescoes and paintings by Zoppo di Gangi, we take a tour of the alleys and squares of the 5 historic districts.
A gem amongst the alleys? The Casa du Currivu, one of the narrowest buildings in the world, only 1 meter wide!
Trekking lovers can start from the center of Petralia Sottana for an exciting walk down the Sentiero Italia, or stroll down the Cammino dei Santuari Madoniti, one of the official Religious Paths of the Region of Sicily.
The best times to visit Petralia Sottana? During the holidays and traditional festivals, such as the Chestnut Festival in October, which is tied to the Festival of Autumn Madonite Flavors; or the original Cordella Ball, a festival of pagan origins dedicated to the goddess Cerere, held on the Sunday after the 15th of August.
Art lovers cannot miss the Batraliah Art Festival, a true gathering of contemporary artists that, in July, brings together both the young and older.
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