The history of Giarratana is for a long time linked to the Settimo Calvello noble family, one of the richest in Sicily, who resided in Giarratana from 1454 until 1865 with the title of marquises.
Thanks to their presence in the Iblean territory, the city of Giarratana obtained numerous benefits, as it is thanks to them that it managed to expand and populate quickly. The Settimo Calvello family was also the promoter of numerous constructions, including their noble palace and various buildings which unfortunately have been lost due to the 1693 earthquake, a devastating calamity that destroyed not only the old Giarratana but also a large part of eastern Sicily included in the territory of the Val di Noto. The historic Settimo Calvello family is still talked about today in Giarratana, thanks to their incredible influence they had on the development of the historic city.
Who were the Settimo Calvello of Giarratana
The Settimo Calvello family is originally from Pisa and became lords of Giarratana in 1454, when they bought it from Niccolò Caseggia who, in turn, had obtained it a few years earlier from Bernardo Cabrera, Count of Modica, who had to sell it to pay off some of its debts that arose during the conflict against King Martin I. In their first century in Giarratana, they could boast the title of baron, to then become marquis only in 1559, the year in which Charles the Seventh, with his skilled military mastery, managed to thwart the threats from the Turks, and for this heroic gesture his title was raised to marquis.
The Castle of the Settimo Calvello in Giarratana
Il Settimo Calvello Castle it was one of the first buildings to be built after the earthquake of 1693. The initiative for the construction, which took place in 1703, was taken by Don Girolamo Settimo Calvello who wanted to build a large palace that was similar to a fortress, to be given as a gift to his son Trajan. The structure was very similar to the old one Mother Church of Giarratana, as the same style and materials were adopted. The Settimo Calvello Castle was never fully completed, although it was still inhabited by the noble family. The building remained in use until 1865, the year in which the family moved to Palermo, completely abandoning their building which within a few years began to decline. Given the pitiful state of the building, its materials were reused for the construction of various houses of the Giarratanese, bringing a piece of Giarratana's history into the homes of its inhabitants.
The legends of the Settimo Calvello: the hidden treasure and the body of Santa Ilaria
There are also several rumors about the Settimo Calvello family legends, two in particular are among the most suggestive. According to popular stories, when in 1865 the family left Giarratana to go to Palermo, they also hid a conspicuous treasure made up of many gold coins, which, according to what is said, would have been hidden in a nearby cave, the same one where today the annual nativity scene is set up during the Christmas period. Over the years, many have tried to explore the cave in search of the ancient treasure, however without finding any traces. This story is perhaps a way of suggesting the enormous wealth the Settimo Calvello had at their disposal, to such an extent that another legend hovers around this thesis, according to which the noble family of Giarratana had even bought the body of the martyr Santa Ilaria directly from the Pope, to be able to bury her in the Church of St. Bartholomew.
The history of the Settimo Calvello family is certainly fascinating, a mix of truth and legend that does nothing but fuel the suggestiveness of their past in Giarratana, where, without a shadow of a doubt, they made an enormous contribution to its development.
