Baths of Cefalà Diana

There are many peoples who have conquered and dominated Sicily, from the Phoenicians to the Greeks up to the Byzantines and the Normans: all of them have left indelible and monumental traces on the territory, such as for example the Valley of the Temples and the Archaeological Park of Segesta.

There is also another place, not far from Palermo, which houses a site that has no equal in Sicily: these are the Arab Baths of Cefalà Diana, probably dating back to the period in which the Arabs dominated the island.

History of the Baths of Cefalà Diana

The Arab baths of Cefalà Diana probably rise on a ancient Roman spa establishment, where a vast desolate air once stretched, located in the shadow of the Mount Chiaramonte.
The perimeter band of these Baths bears a long inscription in Kufic characters, linked to the Iraqi city of Kūfa: only the phrase "In the name of the gracious and merciful God" but still leads many scholars to think that i Baths of Cefalà Diana were built by the Arabs.

However, it should be remembered that Al-Idrisi, the famous geographer at the court of Roger II of Sicily, in his writing of 1154 dedicated to the sovereign, does not mention these baths at all, even though he mentions the town.
For this reason there is also the hypothesis that this place was born in the Norman era, approximately at the time of William II.

The architecture of the Arab Baths of Cefalà Diana

The Bagni di Cefalà Diana appear as a sort of beam, surrounded by Roman walls, formed by stones positioned according to the system opus uncertain.
The band with the Arabic writing, interspersed with faded floral decorations, extends on three sides: this is not the only example of Arabic inscriptions, given that the Cathedral of Palermo has one taken from the Sura of the Koran.
The structure, perfectly preserved, has a very suggestive interior, with barrel vaults supported by thin columns that form elegant pointed arches made of terracotta. Looking up, you can see circular holes in the ceiling, made to allow ventilation of the whole room and, at the same time, to air-condition it.
In one of the two rooms there are three tubs built on different levels, while on the walls you can glimpse niches where it is assumed that clothes were stored before immersing themselves in the beneficial waters of the Baths of Cefalà Diana. The beneficial waters (especially for the bones), now no longer present, flowed at a temperature of 38° and were channeled here according to the ingenious Qanat system.

What to see around the Arab Baths of Cefalà Diana

These Arab baths are located just outside the center of the village of Cefalà Diana, in the province of Palermo. It stands in the shadow of the Norman castle, located on a cliff at 657 m. in height which dominates the Magna Via Panormi (which once crossed Cefalù) and the valley of the Milicia river. A staircase leads to the remains of the entrance hall, with a tower not far away decorated at the top with Ghibelline battlements.

Also worth a visit there Church of San Francesco da Paola, of which the Porta dei Miracoli can be appreciated: there are 12 panels that depict not only the miracles of Saint Francesco da Paola but also scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
The Bagni di Cefalà Diana are located at the base of Pizzo Chiarastella, in the heart of the "Natural Reserve of the Baths of Cefalà Diana and Chiarastella": it is a protected area, made up of Mediterranean maquis and grasslands, in which there are many springs that flow from ancient carbonate rocks.
In the reserve there are many natural cavities of great archaeological importance, including the Funny Cave where human remains from the Eneolithic era have been found.

How to get to Cefalà Diana

To reach Cefalà Diana and its Arab baths, you have to leave by car, from Palermo (about 35 km away) and take the SS121 which connects Agrigento to Palermo. You need to continue along the SS118 and then on the SP77 until you reach your destination.

© Image by Barbaria1995, CC BY-SA 4.0 - Barbaria1995, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons