Enna

 

Province of Enna

Piazza Armerina

Enna is the highest provincial town ( 3054 ft ) in Italy. It is known as the “ Belvedere of Sicily” because of its elevated position in the heart of the island. Several mountain caves discovered in the area prove human presence in Enna in prehistoric times. Ancient Henna was settled by the Sicans then gradually came under Greek influence ( 8th to 7th century BC), when it became the centre of the city of Demeter, the goddess of cereals. From the 6th to the 3rd century BC it was a commercial and agricultural centre, minting its own coins and becoming so rich that it caught the eye of the tyrant Agathocles from Syracuse, who took it in 307 BC and made it a colony. After that, Henna fell under the control of the same succession of foreign rulers than the rest of the island, including Romans and Saracens. In 135 BC broke out here the first Slave War. When Palermo fell to the Muslims in 851, the Byzantines government decided to move to Enna, which held out against the Muslim siege until 859. Under the Muslims, the town took the name of “ QuasrYannah”, which was eventually vulgarized to Castrogiovanni When the Normans conquere1d Sicily, they had difficulty taking the town of Enna, which didn’t fall until 1083. It became one of the favourite residences of Frederick II of Swabia, who restored the Castle of Lombardy. Frederick of Aragon was crowned King of  “Trinacria” here in 1314. Subsequently, the town followed the vicissitudes of the rest of the island, rebelling against the Bourbons and supporting Garibaldi. In 1927, the ancient name of Enna was restored under Mussolini.

The Cathedral of the Virgin, was built in 1307 by Queen Eleonor of Aragona underwent several alterations during the centuries that followed, mainly in the 16th century. Of the original construction only the transept and apses remain because it was partially destroyed by a terrible fire in 1446. The main façade dating from the 15th century, is preceeded by a nartex and surmounted by a 17th century bell –tower. The right side of the Cathedral bears a portal attributed to Gagini, adorned with a bas-relief of Saint Martin.The interior is a Latin-cross shape with three aisles separated by two rows of black basalt columns. These are decorated at the base and crowned by Corinthian capitals. The second column on the right and the left were carved by Gian Domenico Gagini and date from 1460. The 17th century coffered ceiling of the recently restored nave and that of the transept are made of chestnut and finely inlaid. On the right- hand side of the nave stands the white marble pulpit, dating from the 1st half of the 17th century as a Roman pedestal, which might have been taken from the ancient pagan temple of Ceres. Magnificent organ cases and a 16th century tribune adorne the nave at the top. The choir, dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption, has Gothic arches and lancet windows, stucco decoration and paintings from Filippo Paladini ( 1613 ). The chestnut choir stalls (16th century) with their carved backs illustrating scenes from the Old Testament and New Testament, are the works of Scipione Di Guido. There is a fine 14th century Crucifix painted on gilded wood, known as the “ Christ with the three faces” because the expression changes depending on the angle from which you look at it. In the transept on the left there is the “Madonna del Pilar”, by Borremans, dating from 1722. The left aisle has another Madonna by Salermo and Borremans, Saint Peter and Saint Paul appearing to Constantine.

The Castle of Lombardy looks out over the town and the valley. It has always occupied a strategical position, the highest peak of the hill and is the largest medieval castle in Sicily (279.864 sq f) with the Byzantine, Norman and Swabian features. It was planned as one of the most important fortresseses of Sicily, by the king and Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, was added a number of rooms that rendered it suitable for courtlife. It was intended to be his summer residence. The name of  “Lombardy” is due to the fact that it housed at the beginning a garrison of Lombard soldiers. King Frederick of Aragona was crowned king of Trinacria in this buiding in 1324 and convocated the Sicilian Parliament here. Six of its original 20 towers still stand. Of its three courtyards, the first known as Saint Nicholas, is used for an open air theatre and in the third, the most interesting, is the “Torre Pisano” the tallest and best preserved tower, which gives a splendid view of the island.

A little out of the town, a road takes you to the “Rocca di Cerere” (Ceres or Demeter), a flat and panoramic platform of rocks, where in Greek times was a temple dedicated to the Goddess. According to Cicero, housed a giant statue of the divinity, whose figure was stamped on the town coins.