Page 102 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

100  SICIL Y AREA B Y AREA

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, in expansion of the town and the
the heart of town, is home to demolition of parts of the old
the Byzantine church of Santa city walls. In Piazza Ciullo is
Maria Odigitria, which has Sant’Oliva, built in 1724 over an
a beautiful iconostasis in earlier church, while the nearby
the interior. Opposite Chiesa del Rosario boasts late
the parish church is 15th-century frescoes. Facing
the oldest church in Piazza della Repubblica is Santa
Piana degli Albanesi, Maria del Gesù, with the
San Giorgio, which was so-called Greek Madonna
altered in the mid-1700s. altarpiece (1516), showing the
Along the avenue named Madonna with the Counts of
Traditional Piana degli Albanesi costumes after Giorgio Kastriota Modica. But the most import ant
Skanderbeg, one of Albania’s church here is the Chiesa
w Piana degli national heroes, is the cathedral, Madre, founded in 1332. Its
Albanesi San Demetrio. As is customary Baroque façade, overlooking
in Orthodox churches, the apses Piazza IV Novembre, has a
Road map B2. * 6,200. are closed off by the icono stasis. 14th-century bell tower with
n Pro Loco, Via Kastrota 207 (091-857 On the vault is a fresco by double lancet windows, and
45 04). _ Sagra del Cannolo.
∑ pianalbanesi.it P Novelli repr esenting the many paintings and sculptures
Apostles, Christ and the four can be seen in the chapels.
During the expansion of the Orthodox patriarchs. Near the
Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, town is a large artif icial lake r Castellammare
many groups of Albanians that was created by a dam
(Albanesi) fled to Italy. At the built in the 1920s. del Golfo
end of the 15th century, Road map B2. * 15,000. V
John II allowed an Albanian Palermo–Trapani. n Pro Loco, Corso
community to settle in this area, e Alcamo B. Mattarella 24, (0924-35175).
which originally took the name Road map B2. * 46,000. V ∑ prolococastellammare.it
of Piana dei Greci because the Palermo–Trapani line. n Town hall,
inhabitants belonged to the Piazza Ciullo (0924-223 01). This town was the Greek port
Greek Orthodox Church. The for Segesta and Erice, and then
place was renamed Piana degli During the Arab period the an Arab fortress. It became an
Albanesi in 1941. The town is fortress of Manzil Alqamah important trading and tuna-
famous for its colourful religious was built as part of this area’s fishing centre in the Middle
festivities, such as those during defensive network. The town Ages. In the heart of the town,
Epiphany and Easter, which are of Alcamo developed later, and on an isthmus, is the Norman-
still celebrated according to between the 13th and 14th Swabian Castle, and the old
the Orthodox calendar. The centuries centred around the picturesque streets of the
celebrations in honour of the Chiesa Madre and the castle, medieval quarter known as
patron saint Santa Maria which has been restored. castri di la terra. On Via Garibaldi
Odigitria are followed by Population growth over is the Chiesa Madre, frequently
traditional folk festivities. the decades has led to the rebuilt in the 1700s and 1800s.

Castellammare del Golfo on the Tyrrhenian Sea, a leading port town in the Arab-Norman period
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp202–3 and pp211–13

100-101_EW_Sicily.indd 100 11/3/16 2:09 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm