Sicily is a magical land, full of places to discover. At its heart lies Petralia Soprana, in the province of Palermo. From above it dominates a landscape that varies from the peaks of Etna to the city of Enna, up to the mountains of the Palermo area and the valleys of the surrounding countryside.
History
Petralia Soprana was a center of great importance already during the Greek and Carthaginian domination. It was in fact the first city to be conquered by the Romans, who called it Petra, well known for being one of the major producers of wheat in the whole Empire.
Its name changed to Batraliah, following the Arab conquest, turning into a real stronghold at the time of the Normans. Visitors can still admire the typical urban structure of the Middle Ages. The streets of the village are quite narrow and characterized by a paved mantle. There are many elements to admire, from noble palaces to beautiful courtyards, from stone houses to churches. A place that has stood still in time, one that is now increasingly difficult to identify in Italy and in Europe. The old continent looks to the future but a few fragments of the past resists tooth and nail.
What to see in Petralia Soprana
Located in the Madonie Park, between 1100 and 1600 meters above sea level, the ancient village is a pearl to be discovered, outside the canonical tourist routes. Its splendor is indisputable, as evidenced by its inclusion in the cultural circuit "Borgo dei Borghi". An obligatory detour for real travelers, once they arrive in Palermo. Its name has undergone several changes, becoming Petra Heliae (Pietra d'Elia) with the arrival of the Normans. A denomination that referred to a cliff close to which the Church of Sant'Elia was to rise in the XNUMXth century. There are three viewpoints to admire. It starts from that of Loreto, which offers an excellent glance, from Etna to Enna, from Caltanissetta to the valley of the river Imera. The Belvedere del Carmineinstead, it turns its gaze towards western Sicily. The viewpoint of Piazza del Duomofinally, it aims east, towards Gangi, with Etna in the background.
A visit to the city must also pass through piazza Loreto, where there is space church of Santa Maria di Loreto, with its majolica spiers, which boasts the marble altarpiece attributed to Giandomenico Gagini. From piazza San Michele, characterized by a circular fountain, you arrive at piazza del Popolo, overlooked by the neo-gothic town hall and the Pottino palace, belonging to the Marquises of Eschifaldo.
Nearby is the church of the Collegio, built in the eighteenth century. In Piazza Fontana dei Quattro Cannoli it is possible to appreciate the baroque fountain in Billiemi marble, the only source of the town for centuries. How not to stop and admire the Mother Church, dating back to the fifteenth century, which fully reflects the medieval architecture, which stands on a fascinating square with a seventeenth-century colonnade.
What to eat in Petralia Soprana
Certainly there is no lack of typical local cuisine. How could it be in a country like Italy and, specifically, in a region like Sicily. At the table, traditional Mediterranean dishes are consumed, with a great link with agriculture.
Especially the soups, lentils flavored with fennel, chickpeas and wild vegetables are to be appreciated. There is a great tradition of cheeses, with fresh and aged pecorino, caciocavallo and fresh ricotta. The bred meats are those of mixed breed cattle, sheep, rabbit, hen and pig. Tasty dry sausage. The desserts are of old tradition, from the "u risu duci" to the "Christmas spoon", up to the tasty "aceddu".
Source of the photograph: Petralia Soprana: Filippo Piazza CC BY-SA 3.0
