To those who go forward into the centre of Sicily, the Lombardy Castle emerges majestic on the bare rock, often shrouded by a ring of clouds. On its flank, the Rock of Ceres still holds the memory of the time-honoured calling towards the goddess of crops.
Our private guided tour starts from this acropolis through Via Roma, an ancient route along which the Cathedral appears, testifying over four centuries of art and preserving masterpieces of the Sicilian woodworking of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. There is a wonderful 16th-century caisson ceiling, the ‘casciarizzo’ (cupboard) in the sacristy, the wooden choir-stall on the high altar and the choir stand. Remarkable also are the paintings by Borremans, Ruggieri and Paladini. On the same square, the Archaeological Museum is housed in the fine location of the Varisano Palace beside the San Michele Church. Still along Via Roma we can find the 18th-century facades of the Santa Chiara Church and the Church of San Giuseppe, the San Marco Church, probably built on the ancient synagogue and guardian of a fine altar in gilded wood and the Militello Palace, an elegant example of late Liberty architecture, now open to the public. A comfortable walk along the long diverticulum leads to the opposite side of the plateau and to a hill that hosts the imposing octagonal tower of Frederick II, from the top of which you can enjoy a 360° panorama of Sicily.
