On the slopes of the Madonie, in one of the most beautiful areas of Sicily, stands the small village of Geraci Siculo, a jumble of medieval houses with narrow streets and collected courtyards, enriched by ancient churches and the ruins of a Byzantine castle, the first real home of the Ventimiglia family, who transformed it into a military fortress. In fact, at the beginning of the 1400s, Castelbuono replaced Geraci as the seat of the capital of the Ventimiglia county, but Francesco I died in Geraci, preferring to jump into a precipice with his horse rather than surrender to his enemies. An episode recalled architecturally by the Salto del Ventimiglia, a glass and steel structure suspended for a few meters above a cliff, from which you enjoy a frighteningly spectacular view.
Geraci Siculo
Visiting Geraci Siculo is like taking a journey through time in the heart of Sicily, in its traditions and history, the advice is therefore to get lost in its alleys and courtyards to fully immerse yourself in this journey.
Just outside the town you will find the majestic fountain of the Holy Trinity, built at the behest of the Marquis Simone Ventimiglia, a place where many people, even from neighboring villages, still come to refresh themselves and fill jugs of the famous “Geraci water”.
Among the churches that deserve a visit we mention the Collegio di Maria, but above all that of Santa Maria Maggiore, which houses truly valuable paintings and sculptures.
The excursion to discover Geraci Siculo can end by reaching the northernmost area of the town, where other significant religious buildings stands: the church of San Bartolomeo, with various beautiful works and in particular a polychrome inlaid wood depicting the saint, dated to the century XVIII. Finally, we suggest visiting the small church of Santa Maria La Porta, built in 1496, inside which there is another masterpiece of the Gagini workshop: the magnificent polychrome marble polyptych of the main altar.
