Farm Holidays Guarnera

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CEFALU':

madonie The prehellenic Kephaloidion, whose urban history started at the beginning of the fifth century B.C. became Roman in 254 B.C.Two ninth century ruinous sieges followed the Byzantine period and the Arab occupation. The Norman 1063 conquest, under Ruggero D’Altavilla, initiated a new era of great artistic activity and economical prospects. Todays expanding tourism is an important source of income for the residents.

The present local economy is based on farming, local crafts, fishing, food industries, wood and building materials.

THE CATHEDRAL:

Built in 1131, the imposing three nave Cefalu' cathedral dominates the central town square. Facing a gated terrace , the 1240 front has a fifteenth century three arched porch, two loggia levels and two imposing towers enriched with single and double windows

IL PARCO DELLE MADONIE:

The park behind us is ideal for cultural trips in its towns and for the walks in the woodlands at the higher levels Describing the particular qualities of the madonia area isn’t enough to understand why the park was created in November , 1989.

You need to visit to get the reply which is in its unique locations, of individual mountain peaks, fresh and clear streams, rare and often exclusive plants, thick woods and clearings, numerous architectural treasures in the towns, shepherds or in the able and tireless hands of the local artisans.

CERAMIC ROUTES:

madonie There are traces of a once flourishing activity at the beginning of the twentieth century that occupied entire families and produced a prestigious quality of ceramic manufacture, now in an abandoned state.
The quarries, kilns, ovens, and the manufactured products have been traced and studied and inserted into an interesting historical and artistic itinerary that involves seven Madonia communities.The initiative, promoted by the Provincial Tourist office of Palermo is unique in Sicily and reaches over a large area. It not only has a cultural function but intends to emphasize the value and recuperate the typical activities of the zone. Within the next months seventeen illustrated panels will indicate the routes.

Castelbuono - The bulb tile facing on the Church of the cross steeple in Corso Umberto is a typical example of eighteenth century Neapolitan majolica scale tiles. The Castelbuono furnace , in the Cocozzone area, was active until 1960.
Collesano - The ceramics facory in the San Francesco quarter had firing ovens, small glazing furnaces, a windmill, lathes and a drying and working area for the clay
Collegano - The ceramics facory in the San Francesco quarter had firing ovens, small glazing furnaces, a windmill, lathes and a drying and working area for the clay

Gangi - The two churches that have interesting early eighteenth century ceramics are S.S. Salvatore, in the same street, and San Cataldo, located in Via G.F.Vitale. The production is probably local and the preservation of the diamond shaped bricks that make a complex and decorative geometry, is good.

Geraci Siculo - We find the ceramic covered steeples of Sano Stefano, located on the same street, and Santa Maria Maggiore, in Piazza Matrice. Both geometric patterns were made between six and seven hundred A.D. and are in a good state of conservation.

Petralia soprana - The church of Santa Maria di Loreto steeple, on the same square, is distinctly coloured a yellow gold and an intense sky blue. The wedge tiles, produced at Collesano, date from the middle eighteen hundreds. A precious early eighteen hundred tile design that depicts a monstrance is located in Via Fonderia, near the San Michele square. The Porta Seri quarter has a badly conserved furnace.

Polizzi Generosa - There are ceramic pavements in the church of Santa Maria dell’Udienza and the church of the Baida Vecchia, both located on the self named streets. The first pavement has twenty tiles that form a geometric design with a center of lilies. The early eighteenth century Collesano production is white, green and yellow. The second is a typical alternate black and white trapezoid design from the castelbuono area , since remade and modified. The Saprone quarter kiln is intact and in a good state of preservation.

San Mauro Castelverde - There is a prestigious example of tiled work in the San Mauro church in Corso Umberto. The hemispheric formed steeple is decorated with wedge tiles placed diagonally in parallel stripes of white, black, green and golden yellow and is in a discreet state of conservation. Two ceramic panels containing religious subjects are on the Via Crucis procession route and date from the early eighteen hundreds . In 1950 they were restored by Santo Stefano master ceramicists.

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