Calatafimi in addition to the archaeological park of Segesta, can boast an interesting historical center that from the hill of the “Castle Eufemio” is spread in a tortuous and characteristic medieval structure of alleys and courtyards.
Its inhabited area had a great strategic importance in the control of the territory thanks to the stronghold from which the name of the town derives and its primitive village was surrounded by strong walls whose remains still present can be seen in the characteristic Borgo district.
In the neighborhood of “Terravecchia“, new neighborhoods are soon added and the city expands, soon emerging new religious buildings, among which the Church of San Michele Arcangelo and up to the New Church dedicated to the Immaculate, whose cult is deeply rooted in Calatafimi as evidenced by the heartfelt and characteristic celebration of December 8th with the night procession illuminated by vegetable torches.
Along the Via XV Maggio it is possible to find the Ethno-anthropological Museum of Calatafimi, rich in material and photographic documents on the life of Calatafimi and its traditions, it can be found in the renovated convent of San Francesco, where conferences and cultural events take place.
Adjacent to the municipal building is the Garibaldi House Museum, formerly Pampalone, an authentic treasure trove of history and homeland rich in documents and relics of the famous Battle of Calatafimi on May 15, 1860, inside it is possible to visit the rooms where the Hero of the two Mondi found shelter and refreshment in those troubled days when they decided the fate of the nascent Italy thanks to the commitment of a thousand and more picciotti, and to which many patriotic citizens of Calatafimi certainly did not lack their courage and support in the enterprise.
The city also has several churches of great historical-architectural importance such as the Church of the Holy Crucifix by Giovanni Biagio Amico, home of the famous relic of the original black Christ, carried in procession during the famous Feast of 3 May. The Church of San Silvestro Papa, with its severe and bare façade, contrasts with the marvelous marble icon placed in the apse of Berrettaro and Mancino, an authentic Renaissance jewel kept in Calatafimi.
In addition, the Church of the Madonna del Giubino, called Badia Grande, which contrasts with the homonymous country sanctuary, home to a very important Marian pilgrimage, linked to the venerated marble image of the Virgin.
For nature lovers and those looking for an immersion in an unspoiled Mediterranean environment, the nearby Sughereta of Angimbè offers an unmissable opportunity for a naturalistic visit just a few kilometers from the town center.
Pianto Romano located in the territory of Calatafimi so called by the same Garibaldi, Italianizing the Sicilian “chianti di Romano” or “Roman plants” that is vines owned by that Roman; it hosts in perennial memory the ossuary designed by the Palermo architect Ernesto Basile and inaugurated on May 15, 1862: it houses the remains of Bourbon soldiers and Garibaldini fallen in the famous battle, built in limestone with a frieze and Doric frame. At the end of the avenue on May 15, 1960, a monument was erected by the architect Biagio Vivona, on which the famous sentence of Giuseppe Garibaldi is engraved.
Our City Tour includes
four itineraries:
Eufemio Castle
Santissimo Crocifisso Church
Garibaldi Museum
Pianto Romano Museum