holidays in enna

At 931m Enna is the highest Provincial capital in Sicily; located a little over an hour’s drive inland from Catania. The town grew around the succession of fortifications that were built by the Greeks, Romans, Saracens and Normans on the site of the present Castello di Lombardia. The castle is one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses on the island, with 6 of the original 20 towers still standing, and it provides stunning views of the surrounding area, including Etna.

Holiday Accommodation in Enna

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The old city is centred on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, which contains the 16th century church of San Francesco d’Assisi. From here via Roma leads uphill towards the cathedral, which was commenced in 1307. The structure was badly damaged by fire in the 15th century, so much of the building is now the 16th century restoration. Inside the cathedral contains numerous statues and paintings along with dark grey basalt columns. The Museo Alessi is located at the rear of the cathedral and contains works of art collected by Canon Giuseppe Alessi up until his death in 1837. Along with numerous religious paintings, the collection includes Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins and other archaeological finds. Perhaps the most interesting display features Egyptian figurines, which date from the 6th century BC. The Museum is also home to the Cathedral’s treasury, which features 16th and 17th century works of art, including a gold Madonna crown. The Museo Archeologico is located in the Palazzo Varisano and houses prehistoric Greek and Roman items found in the City and surrounding areas.

Located 30kms to the south of Enna are the historical sites of Morgantina and Piazza Armerina. The ancient city of Morgantina was founded in the 8th century BC and occupies a defensive position on the hill of Cittadella. Although there was originally a Bronze Age settlement, the importance of Morgantina did not begin until the arrival of the Greeks in the 6th century BC, followed by the Romans in 211BC. The site was discovered during the 1950’s and extensive excavations have continued to this day. Parts of the city already uncovered include the Theatre, the Gymnasium and the market area, which all surrounded the large open plan agora or forum.

Piazza Armerina is a small town whose importance has grown since the discovery of a Roman villa 5km to the south-west. The villa would undoubtedly have belonged to one of the most important individuals of the Roman Empire, possibly Diocletian’s co-emperor Maximianus Herculeus. The buildings date from the 4th century and feature some of the best-preserved Roman mosaics to be found in Europe.

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