For a trip out of town in the immediate vicinity of Caltanissetta, a place of sure interest can be Resuttano which, in addition to having a beautiful castle to visit, is also a place with a thousand-year history. Here are the reasons to visit it and what not to miss.
Officially the town of Resuttano was born on 7 June 1627, when the lord of Alessandria Della Rocca as well as Duke of Campobello, born Giuseppe Di Napoli, decides to purchase the land on behalf of his son and make it a barony. In reality, however, the history of Resuttano has its roots in a much older time since it was originally affected by human presence since prehistory, therefore approximately 2700 years ago. What left the most important signs, however, was certainly the Arab domination which transformed this territory into a control base against foreign invasions, as evidenced by the presence of a castle in typical Arab style.
In reality, even the name of the place itself testifies to the Arab influence since Resuttano derives from the expression Rahal Suptanum which means fortified farmhouse and refers precisely to the castle that was built around the XNUMXth century, on whose ashes the castle of the period was born later, built around the XNUMXth century and still visible today.
Subsequently, the territory of Resuttano experienced various dominations, including that of Federico D'Aragona. Over the centuries, however, the area has never experienced a period of prosperity given that its purely agricultural vocation made it almost a pantry for its lords who took all the wealth leaving the population to die of hunger. In the first decade of the 1800th century, when feudalism was abolished, Resuttano also freed itself from the game of nobility and the territory passed under the municipality of Caltanissetta.
What to see in Resuttano
Despite its troubled history, Resuttano has a lot to offer visitors who decide to discover it. In addition to the beautiful castle, in fact, the town contains others small masterpieces of art that are well worth a visit to this location. Among the places not to be missed is the Mother Church which is located in one of the main squares of the country which is Roosevelt.
Its construction dates back to the XNUMXth century and was dedicated to the Virgin Immaculate Conception. The architecture of this sacred place is characterized by simplicity, as demonstrated by its main facade which is flanked by two bell towers and has a central window with two small columns in ionic style. Also the Church of St. Paul the Apostle it is worth seeing because inside it is preserved the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows who is not the patron saint of the city but is venerated as if she were on the day of her anniversary which is September 15th. Finally, it is also worth a visit Mazzarino Palace which is one of the last noble buildings in the city.
The beautiful castle of Resuttano
Obviously, however, Resuttano is known above all for hers castle which from the top of the hill dominates the entire city area. The building, which is 458 meters above sea level, is actually the result of a series of expansion and renovation works which have affected it over the centuries.
The original part, in fact, is represented by one high tower which has two environments inside. Most likely the tower was flanked by a building that housed the soldiers' quarters given that its main function was to allow the star to be able to sight in advance the arrival of enemy ships in the gulf or the presence of troops of foreign soldiers along the slope of the hill. Inside the tower one is still visible and partially well preserved spiral wooden staircase which allowed passage to the upper floors.
Unfortunately today the castle is in very poor condition, most of the ceilings have collapsed and only the intervention of the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage of Caltanissetta in recent decades has prevented the remains from being demolished given that the popular beliefs of the early twentieth century took it for granted the presence within it of ghosts and evil demons.
The events in Resuttano
Resuttano is beautiful in every season of the year as its mild climate and its geographical position which places it on a hill make it a truly pleasant location. However, if you are lucky enough to happen upon the town's most important events, you will be able to have an even more special experience.
The main feast is certainly that of September 15th when the anniversary of Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated but May 4th is also very heartfelt as it marks the feast of the SS Crucifix that is the patron of the city. On both occasions they organize themselves markets with food and wine and craft stands and there is a rich calendar of events to entertain visitors.
Finally, whoever decides to go to visit Resuttano during the Christmas period, you will be lucky enough to be able to witness the beautiful living crib, one of the most characteristic of the whole island, and on 26 December, 1 and 6 January you will be able to take part in the traditional recut which is a tradition linked to the preparation of desserts based on processed ricotta.
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