Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte in Partinico

Il Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte in Partinico, a church wanted by Ferdinand of Aragon and today loved by pilgrims.
Il Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte is located in Partinico in province of Palermo and was built at the behest of Federico d'Aragona, very devoted to the Madonna. Later Federico III also contributed to making the Sanctuary wider and richer. Today the church, which houses works of art from different eras, is a place of pilgrimage and welcomes many faithful from nearby villages.

The history of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte in Partinico

in 1306 Frederick of Aragon, deeply devoted to the Madonna for graces received, he donates to the Cistercian abbots some lands in the Altofonte area at the gates of Palermo. Not far from the wood, the clergymen had a small church built as a symbol of thanksgiving to allow the king to hear mass even on hunting days. A few years later the king, satisfied with the work of the abbots, also gave them part of the park of Partinico for the construction of a town and a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin. The whole Partinico area however it is devastated, in fact the Saracens before abandoning the town razed it to the ground and therefore we had to wait until 1430 for the construction of a new village and a sanctuary which for 3 centuries was very simple and with a single nave. In 1774 King Frederick III contributed financially to the renovation of the building and had two aisles built. In the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries renovation and expansion works were undertaken and the sanctuary was enriched with a tabernacle and an altar as well as works of art and many sacred furnishings in silver. In the XNUMXth century a bell tower, a refectory and a new altar were built.

The architecture and works of art of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte in Partinico

The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte in Partinico is accessed with a staircase covered in ceramic tiles decorated with images of saints and blessed and with ornamental motifs according to the style of Caltagirone. The building has a rectangular plan with a bell tower with a quadrangular base, the church also has some side rooms which in the past were used as a shelter for pilgrims. The Shrine is a three naves, the central one is dominated by a barrel vault and the floor is in Carrara marble and red granite. The naves are enriched with gilded stuccos and on the tabernacle made of marble, there is a wax statue from the 1819th century depicting the Madonna and Child both wearing silk clothes woven with gold threads. A side altar houses an oil on canvas, by Vincenzo Manno from XNUMX, which represents the Madonna enthroned with the Child in her arms and with Saint Peter and Saint Paul on either side. In the background of the picture is the bridge built by the Normans over the Jato river which is located not far from the Sanctuary.

What to see in Partinico and its surroundings

In addition to the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte, Partinico houses several sacred buildings that are very interesting for visitors. Among these are the Church of St. Joseph which houses 6 paintings of the seventeenth century and the Church of Maria Santissima Annunziata, Cathedral of the town, built in the historic center in 1552. A few meters away is a rectangular fountain with eight mouths and therefore called "eight cannoli", built in 1716 by the will of Cardinal Francesco Acquaviva, is in Baroque and is the work of 5 master stonemasons from Palermo. Not far from the historic center is the Royal Bourbon Cellar wanted by Ferdinand I of Bourbon in 1803. The cellar has several stone rooms and for years it was a center for the collection and sale of wines, liqueurs and oils of the royal house, today after some restorations it has returned to its former glory. In some environments it hosts the Puppet Museums of Partinico, the collection of Sicilian puppets from the nineteenth century by the Canino family which, due to its beauty, is included in the intangible heritage of Unesco. A must for tourists is the Borgo Parrini, an agricultural district founded by the Jesuits in the XNUMXth century and transformed by a local entrepreneur into a fairy-tale place with houses inspired by the style of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. The colors of the murals and the permanent exhibition on the Sicilian cart make the district one of the most popular destinations for visitors.

How to get to the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte in Partinico

The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte in Partinico is located on the provincial road 63. By car, from Palermo take the E90 from via Roma in the direction of Partinico and continue for 49km to the Balestrate exit. Take the SP17 and drive for 4km and take the SP63 where the Sanctuary is located 350m on the left.