Page 129 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

SOUTHWESTERN SICIL Y  127

period of Arab rule, Santa Maria la Nova, which,
in 1234 Frede rick II according to local legend, the
made it part of the Turks tried to burn down in
public domain, 1553. Founded in the 1500s,
building fortresses it houses a 16th-century crucifix
which over the and a 17th-century Flemish
centuries have Nativity scene. A lively area on
disappeared (Castel the water front for eating and
Nuovo was des- shopping is the new Marina
troyed by the Turks di Cala del Sole. A popular
at the end of the mooring with visitors arriving
1561 siege). Licata by boat, the Marina is the centre
again became a part of Licata’s sailing scene, with
of history on 10 July bars, cafés, a mall and a multi-
1943, when Allied plex cinema, as well as useful
troops landed nearby tourist facilities.
and advanced
northwards in E Museo Archeologico
their conquest of Via Dante, Badia di Licata. Tel 0922-
Italian territory. 772 602. Open 8am–8pm Mon–Sat,
The centre of 8am–1pm Sun.
town life is Piazza
Progresso, where t Castello di
The Teatro Sociale in Canicattí, completed in 1908 there is the Art Deco
Municipio or Town Falconara
away, not far from the sea, are Hall, designed in 1935 by Ernesto Road map D4. Open by appt only.
the evocative ruins of Castello Basile, which houses some Tel 091-329 082. ∑ castello
di Montechiaro, founded, interesting artworks, including difalconara.it
according to tradition, by a statue of the Madonna and
Federico III Chiaramonte. Child and a 15th-century Not far from Licata, on the
Although it is now closed triptych. Also worth visiting is road towards Gela, is the
for restoration, it is worthwhile the Museo Archeologico, village of Falconara, famous
visiting the site of this 15th - which has exhibits of prehistoric most of all for the impressive
century castle because of artifacts from the Palaeolithic to castle towering above the sea
the wonderful views of the the Bronze Age, archaic Greek from the top of a rocky bluff.
coastline from its walls. and Hellenistic archaeological The Castello di Falconara was
finds, and a series of medi eval built in the 15th century. It is
statues representing the usually closed, but you can
r Licata Christian virtues. Along Corso make an appointment to view
Vittorio Emanuele, which with the custodian.
Road map C4. * 39,000.
V from Syracuse, Palermo & Catania, leads towards the coast, there Towards Licata is the Salso
via Caltanissetta (0922-774 122). are some patrician mansions river, the second longest in
n Town hall (0922-868 111); Proloco such as Palazzo Frangipane, Sicily. Its name derives from
(328-061 36 53/349-508 19 50). which has an 18th-century the many outcrops of rock salt
∑ prolocolicata.it façade decorated with reliefs. that make its waters salty
On the Corso you can also see (salso means saline). The river
Licata is one of the chief market the Chiesa Matrice di flows through the Sommatino
garden towns in southern Sicily. plateau and down a
It was built in the Greek period series of gullies before
and under Roman rule became meandering across the
the port for the shipment of coastal plains.
local produce. Evidence of the
town’s for mer wealth can be
seen in the many rock-hewn
Byzantine churches. After the

Castello di Falconara, constructed in the 15th century and set among greenery at the water’s edge

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