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Polizzi Generosa


Polizzi Generosa, Porta delle Madonie, rises on a calcareous mountain, at 917 meters above sea level, in the Park of the Madonie. Thanks to its strategic position, gives an evocative and different panorama. The peculiarities of the territory polizzano is suggestive "maretta" atmospheric phenomenon, that rising from the sea, winds in a soft cloud of the country which seems to remain suspended in the sky.
  • Village in the mountain
  • Village with park
  • Village with castle
Polizzi Generosa  | Gandolfo Cannatella
Polizzi Generosa
Gandolfo Cannatella
Polizzi Generosa  | Davide D'Amico/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa
Davide D'Amico/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa  | Davide D'Amico/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa
Davide D'Amico/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa  | Gandolfo Cannatella
Polizzi Generosa
Gandolfo Cannatella
u cunigghiu - Christmas recipe  | Gandolfo Cannatella/shutterstock
u cunigghiu - Christmas recipe
Gandolfo Cannatella/shutterstock
Festival of hazelnuts  | Gandolfo Cannatella/shutterstock
Festival of hazelnuts
Gandolfo Cannatella/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa  | Gandolfo Cannatella/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa
Gandolfo Cannatella/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa  | Nicola Pulham/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa
Nicola Pulham/shutterstock
Polizzi Generosa  | Gervasio S. _ Eureka_89
Polizzi Generosa
Gervasio S. _ Eureka_89
Polizzi Generosa  | Nicola Pulham
Polizzi Generosa
Nicola Pulham
A look at Polizzi Generosa
A look at Polizzi Generosa

About the village

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

= distances as the crow flies

BY CAR

  • From Palermo towards Catania: Exit at the Scillato junction of the A19 motorway, continue for around 18km on the SS 643
  • From Catania towards Palermo: Exit at the Tre Monzelli junction of the A19 motorway, continue on the SS 120 and 643 for a total of 14 km.
  • From Messina towards Catania: take the A18 motorway, always towards Catania, continue on the E45 ring road of Catania, exit junction A19 towards Palermo continue on the A19 exit for Tre Monzelli, continue on the SS 120 and 643 for a total of 14 km.
  • From Ragusa: take the Statale "194" to Giarratana and then continue on the provincial 23.

BY PLANE

  • Catania airport
  • Palermo airport
  • Trapani airport

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.

  • Weekly market: Every Wednesday, in the centre;
  • Seventh Wednesday after Easter - Urtimu Miercuri. Takes place in the Hermitage, located at the foot of the country, in contrada S. Gandolfo. The evening before the devotees organize a torchlight procession, that part from Polizzi, then joints on the square opposite the Church, to the sound of the band is running a bonfire. The day of the feast is a procession accompanies the priest who leads the relics of the Saint from the Church Mother to the hermitage. After the celebration of the Mass, the faithful organise outings.
  • Summer - Snow Festival. It is one of the meetings of the summer polizzana, is organized by the local section of the Club Alpino Italiano, is very successful and collects the influx of hundreds of people from different parts of Sicily. The guided excursion has to point of arrival the Nevado naturale della Fossa of Princess, where, in the middle of the summer, it retains a significant block of snow. Here are prepared the granite in different flavors with the snow collected on the spot.
  • Half of August - Feast of Assunta. The half of August is scanned by the feast of the Assumption, that involves numerous faithful engaged in the pilgrimages that have as destination some country churches (San Nicola dei Mulini and Pietatella), and the votive chapel in the Largo Sellaio. The processions all end with the recitation of the Rosary and hymns addressed to the Assunta.
  • August - Festival of hazelnuts. Characteristic popular event dedicated to the typical product polizzano, hazelnuts, with parades of carts and performances by folk groups the local and international cuisine. In piazza Trinità, the nerve center of the festival are reconstructed angles of rural life and peasant life of the past. The festival also offers cultural meetings, exhibitions of paintings, conferences, excursions and the tasting of local dishes and the free distribution of peanuts.
  • Sagra dello Sfoglio - manifestation of recent creation, which promises to taste and therefore know many tourists 'u' sfùagghiu", typical and tasty cake stuffed with fresh cheese, chocolate, cinnamon, sugar and other local specialties.

Sleep, eat, buy...

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= distances as the crow flies
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32.53 Kilometers from Polizzi Generosa
= distances as the crow flies

Events

friday
29
march, 2024

Good Friday

from
wednesday
1
may, 2024
to saturday 4 may 2024

Feast of the Crucifix

sunday
15
september, 2024

Patronal feast of San Gandolfo

friday
13
december, 2024

Feast of Saint Lucia

from
monday
16
december, 2024
to monday 23 december 2024

Christmas Novena

tuesday
24
december, 2024

Christmas Vigil

thursday
26
december, 2024

Saint Stephen

wednesday
19
march, 2025

Feast of St. Joseph

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