Santa Cristina Gela is a small but characteristic inhabited center located in Sicily in the province of Palermo which has the particularity of having an important use of the Albanian language.
At about 25 km from Palermo there is the wonderful municipality of Santa Cristina Gela. It has about 1000 inhabitants and is spread over a hill 675 meters above sea level in a particularly characteristic area also due to the proximity of the Piana degli Albanesi lake.
Its peculiarity is to be part of a Albanian community of Sicily together with the municipalities of Contessa Entellina e Piana degli Albanesi and it is no coincidence that in these areas the Albanian language is still spoken together with the Italian one. To confirm this, it is sufficient to know that when the municipal administration issues official documents or installs road signs, it also uses the Albanian language in full compliance with the regulations in force on the Italian territory as regards the protection of ethnic-linguistic minorities.
The history of Santa Cristina Gela
The history of Santa Cristina Gela began during the seventeenth century. In particular, according to some historical documents, the town was founded on 31 May 1691 with a concession for the benefit of 82 farmers from Piana degli Albanesi who thus began a colonization activity. Initially they remained in the area only for a few months of the year to be able to manage the various cultures, only to then build houses for fixed settlements.
The feud of Santa Caterina Gela obviously has a less recent history because according to tradition it was donated towards the end of the 1100s by Count Roger of the Normans to the Archbishop of Palermo. Wanting to be more precise on the real foundation of the nucleus of Santa Caterina in Gela, it dates back to 1747 because only in this year there is historical evidence of the consolidation of the residential nucleus. In the first decades the town was only called Santa Cristina, then it took the modern name of Santa Cristina Gela after the unification of Italy.
It is interesting to underline how the town at least until 1840 had for the most part the faithful who followed the Greek rite due to the Albanian origins of the citizens. Of course, the Latin rite is also celebrated to allow the faithful of non-Albanian origin to be able to follow their own traditions.
What to see in Santa Cristina Gela
In the area of Santa Cristina Gela there are several monuments and works that are worth visiting for their architectural beauty and history. Particular attention should be paid to the Major Church of Santa Cristina which in the past was characterized by quite heated clashes between those who wanted the Greek rite and those for the Latin rite.
The church was built in 1815 in a place where there was already an older church built by the first Albanian settlers around the second half of the seventeenth century and the first years of the eighteenth century. The external facade is shown in a classic style with rather simple elements and a huge wooden door positioned right in the center with a niche above where there is the statue of Santa Cristina. Looking up you can appreciate a beautiful rose window finished by XNUMXth century artists. To complete the structure there is the bell tower which is located on the right side and which appears almost detached from the single body of the church.
As far as civil architecture is concerned, there are several historic buildings built during the XNUMXth century such as Musacchia Palace who obviously belonged to a quite famous Albanian family like that of the Muzakas. Also there are Palermo palace with its decorations on the main facade that recalls the time when the counts of Gela were particularly considered and rich, the former municipal building and the splendid fountain made of stone which is located in the main square.
How to get to Santa Cristina Gela
To get to Santa Cristina Gela coming from Palermo you have to travel about 25 km along the Provincial Road number 38 for a total journey time of 40 minutes. From Messina the journey is much longer with 240 km which requires three hours first via the A20 motorway and then the E90. Finally, from Trapani it is necessary to travel 100 km in 90 minutes on the A29 motorway in the direction of the E933.
