Ethnographic Museum in Tortorici – Franchina-Letizia

Among the many beauties that can be admired in Tortorici, one of these is certainly the "Franchina-Letizia" Ethnographic Museum who wants to tell the history of the village through the peculiarities of its inhabitants. Here is everything that can be useful for organizing your visit to this unique museum.

History of the Ethnographic Museum in Tortorici "Franchina-Letizia"

In the 1982 Prof. Sebastiano Franchina brings together the first collection of what will later become the Ethnographic Museum. The goal, in the intentions of the scholar, was not to disperse a wealth of information and historical artifacts that accurately told what had been there history of Tortorici, above all through the work tools of farmers and shepherds.
In August 1997, then, the museum obtained a much more prestigious location as it was offered the basement of the Circolo Orice, a structure erected in 1862. This move gave prestige to the museum exhibition, also thanks to the beautiful setting that it overlooks both Piazza Timpanaro and Piazza Faranda.
From that moment on, the museum has been enriched with many different exhibits that have had the merit of explaining in a simple way an ancient and lost world.

The architecture and any works of art present in the Ethnographic Museum in Tortorici "Franchina-Letizia"

Inside the Ethnographic Museum in Tortorici there are some very interesting finds to admire.
A typical tool of the agro-pastoral civilization that settled in the Nebrodi Valley that is the u cintimulu, a dialectal term for a small mill which was operated manually to grind small quantities of cereals, for domestic use. There saraudda, on the other hand, was a precious element for the survival of the population, as it was a silos for storing products. It's really special, then, u scapularies, that is, a mantle that came worn by shepherds to protect themselves from the cold and which was embroidered by women with motifs that recalled the family history: the loom conserved in the museum for their construction is one of the only examples of this type. There is also a large section dedicated to photographic finds, vintage images that immortalize not only the most representative places of Tortorici but also the people, the faces of the common people who have made the history of this locality.

What you can do around the "Franchina-Letizia" Ethnographic Museum in Tortorici

Those who come to Tortorici to discover the beauties of the Ethnographic Museum, will be able to take advantage of the opportunity for a more in-depth visit to the village, so as to be fascinated by other monuments and interesting places.

Painting lovers will certainly appreciate the Municipal art gallery dedicated to Giuseppe Tomasi, which houses some very suggestive paintings such as the one dedicated to Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, created by Giuseppe Tomasi da Tortorici in the XNUMXth century. Those who, on the other hand, would like to embark on the discovery of the Old Town, will find some very beautiful religious structures. In addition to Mother Church, it is also worth noting that of the Annunciation or Batìa, which in Sicilian means abbey, in honor of that of the Poor Clares who once lived here. Then there is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta which instead dates back to the eighteenth century or the Church of S. Biagio, which instead is much older since inside there is a Norman arch built in 1270.

Nature lovers, on the other hand, cannot help but visit the Vallone Calagna Integral Nature Reserve in the Tortorici area, where it will be possible to carry out various activities such as trekking, walks or simple picnics thanks to the many equipped areas present within the reserve.

How to get to Tortorici

Those who wish to get to Tortorici to visit the "Franchina-Letizia" Ethno Photographic Museum will be able to move easily with theauto. From Messina, Trapani and Palermo the reference road is the A20 which is then followed by the E90. From Catania, on the other hand, you must first follow the A18 and then the E45 while from Syracuse you must only take the E45.

Tortorici is also equipped with its own railway station, so everyone who wants to choose the train as a means of transport they will be able to do it without any problem. Finally, from the main cities of Sicily there are also some local bus lines which connect directly to Tortorici.