Travel Guide Piazza Armerina

The old town of Piazza Armerina is located on the Heresian mountains, surrounded by pine and eucalyptus forests and has a more cheerful appearance than its austere neighbor Enna. Of Norman origin, it was later populated by the Swabians and took an important part in the crusade of 1227 under the impetus of the Knights Templar Hospitallers who had set up their headquarters here. The Angevins then came to settle there. In 1348, the plague broke out and caused the death of a large part of the population. The Spanish domination that followed was extremely beneficial for Piazza Armerina, which was then described as an "opulent city" with its luxurious palaces, convents and rich churches. Later, in 1817, Piazza Armerina was chosen to host the diocese and become the administrative capital of the province of Caltanissetta. This pre-eminence was short-lived: the nobility having deserted the city for Palermo, Enna then became the capital of the province. Piazza Armerina is an important archaeological center of the island (discoveries on Mount Navona and the mountain of Marzo) and for the splendid mosaics, classified as heritage by Unesco, discovered in the nearby Roman villa of Casale. On the 28th of every month there is a livestock fair in a wood on the outskirts of the city. If you are here from August 12 to 14, the city organizes the annual Palio of the Normans, a horse race, which has some resemblance to the famous Palio of Siena. The tourist office (47, via Generale Muscara, +39 0935 680 201), open Monday to Friday from 8am to 2pm and Wednesday afternoon from 3pm to 6:30pm, offers a welcome in French