Piazza Armerina - Main Sights

Main Sights

The town is famous chiefly for its Roman mosaics in the Villa Romana del Casale, about 3 km to the southwest. It has a range of significant architecture dating from medieval through the 18th century. The discovery and excavation of the well-preserved, highly refined mosaics has helped attract tourists.

The medieval history of the city is manifest in some of its houses, which show Norman or Gothic architecture. The main landmarks include a range of architectural styles:

• The massive Baroque Cathedral (17th and 18th centuries), built on the 15th-century foundations of a former church, from which the bell tower was taken and reused. Also original to the 15th-century church are the Catalan-Gothic style windows on the left side. The dome dates from 1768. The façade has a notable portal with spiral columns by Leonardo De Luca. The interior, with a single large nave, houses the Madonna della Vittoria (Madonna of the Victory). The Byzantine icon is traditionally associated with the banner donated by the Pope to Roger I of Sicily during the Council of Melfi. The cathedral has an unusual two-sided crucifix by an unknown artist. The Diocesan Museum holds reliquiaries, articles of silverware, monstrances and other religious art works.
• The nearby Palazzo Trigona, house of the wealthy family who commissioned the church.
• The Church of Fundrò, known also as St. Roch, with a carved tufa portal.
• The nearby Palazzo di Città (1613), characterized by a fresco ceiling by Salvatore Martorana.
• The massive Aragonese Castle (1392–96). It is square in shape, with square towers.
• The church of San Giovanni Evangelista (14th century), with an interior covered with frescos by Guglielmo Borremans and assistants.
• The baroque church of Sant'Anna (18th century), with its original sinuos façade inspired by the buildings of Borromini.
• The church of St. Martin of Tours (1163).
• The church of Santa Maria di Gesù (16th century), now abandoned.
• The Garibaldi Theatre.

Outside the city is the ancient church of the Priorato di Sant'Andrea (1096), founded by Count Simon of Butera, a nephew of Roger I of Sicily. It has important medieval frescoes.