The site on which stands the village of Polizzi Generosa was attended since the VI century B.C. as documented by archaeological finds including a coin anepigrafa imerese. Punic discoveries in the urban area were studied by Sardo-Spagnuolo (1942). A necropolis of classical and Hellenistic was discovered by Contino (1986), which reports the archaeological finds which occurred in 1978 and 1980. Subsequently the Hellenistic necropolis came to light during the construction of the new technical institute for surveyors and the finds are today exposed in the local museum. In the IV century B.C., the village, thanks to its strategic position along the border between domains punics and those Syracusans, had to have a stable garrison and a fortress manned by mercenary militia originating in Campania, as attested by the discovery of a storeroom monetale in the fifties of the twentieth century. Roman ruins are also documented by Contino (1986).
The toponym Polizzi, of greek origin (at least byzantine), derives from a toponym compound terminating in Polis (city), and this is confirmed both by the handwriting of Bulis geographer Idrisi to both from the documentation of the norman period that presents the runes Polis, Polyclinic etc., Latinized into Politium and Policium. In the same way in which the toponym Byzantine Milas (formerly Milai) became Milazzo, so Polis is hesitant in Polizzi. It is instead totally devoid of any foundation the thesis that would like the toponym originated by two homonymous noble families (cited a as Palizzi Palici, or Palizzolo, the other simply as Polizzi), both very powerful in Sicily of the XIV century, because it happened exactly the opposite. The toponym Polizzi is, in fact, previous to the last names of these two noble families. The Palizzi of Norman origin, whose members overlapped various fillers including giustizieri captains, members of the companies of the whites of Monte San Giuliano and Catania, peace of Palermo, of the order of Jerusalem, during the reign of Peter II of Aragon (1337 - 1242) and Ludovico his son (1342 - 1355), guided with the Chiaramonte faction Latina who is opposed to that of the Catalans. According to Amari (1880) The site of Polizzi you would identify with the city of King (Basileopolis) documents the Byzantines and Arabs, built in 880. In the Norman-Swabian period the town has its period of prosperity by entering the orbit regia and then becoming a State town. In this period it was developed a Casale (borgo suburban) that took its name from the little church of S. Peter outside the walls, of which there remain some vestiges. The decadence of the town begins with the plague of 1575-76 which decimates the population. At the end of the nineteenth century there was a revival of the town as evidenced by the presence of various commercial activities.
The municipal territory is part of the Park of the Madonie and this makes it a true paradise for the variety of flora and fauna that populate it. Thanks to different climatic conditions, the park offers spectacular landscapes in all periods of the year. In order to better enjoy these natural wonders were created several nature trails to be covered on foot, on horseback or by bicycle.
Thanks to its climate and the type of terrain the territory of Polizzi has loaned to the cultivation of typical "bean badda", a Slow Food Presidium, so named for its rounded shape, another characteristic of this bean is its color. It is found in two variants: ivory with rosy stains or ivory with violet stains tending to black.
Village of Polizzi Generosa
Municipality of Polizzi Generosa
Metropolitan City of Palermo
Sicily Region
Population: 3.334
Altitude centre: 920 m s.l.m.
the Municipality is part of:
Città della nocciola
Strada del Vino sul percorso della Targa Florio
Unione Porte del Parco delle Madonie
Protected Natural Areas:
Madonie Park
Municipality
Via Garibaldi 13 - Tel. +39 0921 649018
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The wealth of the territory polizzano is reflected in the variety typical products that you can find here like mushrooms, wild asparagus, beans, hazelnuts and cheeses, giving life to a strong gastronomic tradition of healthy and genuine. Every dish is expression of life poliziana revives with strength, today as yesterday, a festival, an occurrence or an event.
Some recipes are linked to the simple life of the peasants and shepherds, who used the products of the earth as legumes, cereals, vegetables and fruits, other than those of the nobles and the bourgeoisie, who could afford meat, eggs, cheese and walnuts. Typical is even the bread, baked in wood ovens, which still retains its unique flavor and fragrance of once.
A typical dish of this area is The "frittedda" (fritter) prepared with fresh fava beans, peas and artichokes, bacon, wild fennel, garlic and onion scalogna. This dish is usually served only or as a condiment for pasta. Recipe linked to outing, that anciently families were to collect hazelnuts, is that of "pipi arrustuti cunzati" (roasted pepper). The peppers are placed on a grill on the embers of a fire alive until they roast. Once cleaned, are served with seasoned with salt, oil, pepper and garlic.
Between Christmas specialities surely goes remembered a caponata said "u cunigghiu" (rabbit), that despite the abundance of ingredients including potatoes, olives, capers, wild fennels, salted codfishà, thistles, courgettes dry and artichokes, in spite of the name does not contain the rabbit meat.
a recipe particularly tasty from typical flavor and aroma, is the first dish based on pappardelle with sauce of rabbit and beans to badda. The badda beans of Polizzi are a presidium SlowFood.
Very good are also the roasted meat between the which must include the Piglet Madonie, to accompany sipping the local red wine.
The Fungus Basilisk (Pleurotus Nebrodensis) also known as the Truffle of the Madonie or porcine white is a fungus of rare delicacy his flesh is white with pleasant smell fungal, the Flavor is sweet. Takes the name of nebrodensis from areas of growth (formerly le Madonie were considered to be part of the Nebrodi).
Always with the genuine local products are prepared the many sweets of Polizzi Generosa, which often have Arab origins, as: the "cucciddati" (buccellati), based on hazelnuts, almonds, cinnamon and chocolate and the "pastizzotti", with a lots of flavor stuffed with almonds, hazelnuts and preserves pumpkin. The sweet prince of Polizzi Generosa is The "Sfuagghiu" (The Swipe) a typical cake made of fresh cheese, cinnamon, chocolate and sugar.