The Parish of San Vincenzo in Calamonaci

Calamonaci is a small village of just over a thousand inhabitants in the province of Agrigento, about fifty kilometers from the capital which rises on the hills between the low valleys of the rivers Magazzolo and Verdura rises Calamonaci.
The town was founded in the seventeenth century by Antonio Termini Feneri on an already existing medieval site.

The name Calamonaci indicates the strong Arab influence that this area has undergone over the years, in fact it derives from the Arab Kal-at-Munach which means "rest house" as in ancient times the town was considered as a stop station where the horses of the stagecoaches were changed.

Over time the country has not known a real one expansion, its traditions, its history and its nuances are still preserved in the small streets of the village, where life in the countryside is still preferred today, it is no coincidence that the main income for the locals derives from the products of a land rich in resources.

Visiting Calamonaci is a very special experience; is the right place for anyone looking for tranquility, it's no wonder if during the walks through the lanes of the town you are greeted by its inhabitants, the cordiality and courtesy are typical characteristics of this corner of Sicily.

Despite its simplicity, Calamonaci has known over time the numerous influences of the cultures that bordered the Mediterranean, as well as the nearby village of Burgio. Part of these influences are collected in the Parish of San Vincenzo, which represents the main point of interest of the place.

The Parish of San Vincenzo in Calamonaci

Originally the Parish of San Vincenzo in Calamonaci was built in 1584 to then be demolished in the mid-seventeenth century due to bad weather and poor maintenance.
The reconstruction took over two centuries to be completed only in 1824.

The church stands in the center of the town, and overlooks the town square by joining the churchyard with it via a staircase placed on the Town Hall Square from which you access inside the church which has a plant ad single nave rectangular; it is mainly made up of load-bearing masonry, with the exception of the horizontal elements which are instead made of brick-cement floors.

At constant intervals the pillars with the pilasters detach from the walls and find their place between them three altars for each side. The apse is circular in shape covered by a quarter of a sphere, while the nave is surmounted by a barrel vaulted roof.

Externally it is pitched, covered with a coat of Sicilian tiles, unlike the bell tower which instead is made of red bricks and with a square plan.
The facade is poor and is made vaguely resembling a sort of hut, very simple and completely devoid of decorations.

Returning to the Parish of San Vincenzo in Calamonaci, the decorations in Renaissance style, characterized by a very accentuated duotone, while on the sides of the choir, to the right and left, you enter respectively the sacristy and the bell tower.

When to visit the Parish of San Vincenzo in Calamonaci

The Parish of San Vincenzo is always open to visitors, however it is very particular to visit the church and the village during the period of village festival in honor of the Patron Saint, San Vincenzo Ferreri, when the calm and quiet of this land are partly interrupted by the lights, songs and sounds that animate the lives of the inhabitants of this small reality for a few days.

To reach Calamonaci, take the expressway from Palermo in the direction of Agrigento and then exit at Bolognetta and reach Calamonaci.