Exactly in the center of Sicily stands one of the most interesting villages with the most intriguing origins of the whole region. A people closely tied to traditions and proud of its origins, where ancient civilizations decided to found their first settlements among green valleys and rolling hills.
Santa Caterina Villarmosa, in province of Caltanissetta, is located right in the exact center of the Sicilian island. It boasts very ancient origins and as evidenced by the numerous archaeological finds discovered in the area and dating back to prehistoric times. In the district of Cozzo Excavation, during some research, evidence of the Punic presence in the area was found, while ancient settlements dating back to the Iron Age were discovered on the Rocche and Ghibbò mountains. All these historical artifacts are currently on display at Archaeological Museum of Caltanissetta, where it is possible to get a more precise idea of the ancient history of Santa Caterina Villarmosa.
Santa Caterina Villarmosa: the origins of the name
The foundation of this small village it is instead more recent, as is the particular choice of name. Over the centuries, Santa Caterina Villarmosa has changed her name several times and to understand the reason we have to go back to 1572, the year in which the town was officially founded.
The ancient name assigned to the town was Risigallo, but then when the Grimaldi barons of Enna obtained the licentia populandi, they decided to change the name to Grimaldo. This toponym did not remain for long and a few years later Pietro Andrea Grimaldi decided to rename the town to Santa Caterina. What was the motivation for this choice? Digging into popular tradition, it was discovered that when Grimaldi became prince, he asked settlers from neighboring towns to populate the area where Santa Caterina Villarmosa stands today.
In addition to moving their home, business and family, these men and women also decided to embellish the church with numerous statues, including in particular that of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Legend has it that at a certain point the Saint began to perform miracles and grant graces to the faithful, so in a short time the town acquired fame, also becoming a stop for pilgrimages. At that point Prince Grimaldi could not do anything but change the name of the town and dedicate it to Saint Catherine.
Santa Caterina Villarmosa: a tribute to her benefactor
At this point it is clear why the town is called Santa Caterina, but why Villarmosa?
To answer this question we have to go back to 1800, when the village passed to Cottone family, who obtained the barony. In particular Carlo Cottone, Marquis of Villahermosa became the benefactor of the city. Thanks to his noble soul, he made himself loved by the community and once he died he left a will according to which his assets were to be used to build a civic hospital and further charitable works for the less well-off. The inhabitants of Santa Caterina, feeling an obligation towards their baron, decided to pay homage to that noble man of origins, as well as of spirit, forever linking his name to that of their city.
Santa Caterina Villarmosa: what to see in the most central village in Sicily
After crossing gentle hills and endless fields of wheat and lavender, you reach Santa Caterina Villarmosa, one of the most fascinating villages in all of Sicily. A tour to appreciate the beauties of the country could start from the very center Piazza Garibaldi, dominated by Mother Church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Inside it is possible to admire the paintings of Pietro Antonino Guastaferro, originally from Santa Caterina and painter at the court of Prince Carlo Cottone.
Next to the church stands the municipal library dedicated to Luigi Pasquale Panvini, a doctor from Catharine who worked as personal doctor of the king of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Ferdinand II of Bourbon. Inside the library it is possible to see many ancient books, some of which date back to 1500 and the famous painting by Guastaferro, La Lucrezia.
Moving towards Via Roma, it is possible to visit one of the oldest churches in all of Santa Caterina Villarmosa, the church dedicated to Santa Maria delle Grazie. The basilica houses the statue of the Madonna, with the baby Jesus in her arms and created in 1875 by the sculptor Domenico Pugliese. The community is very attached to this statue, in fact on August 20th the whole town celebrates a festival in honor of the Madonna delle Grazie and for this occasion many people from Cateronia who have emigrated abroad return to Santa Caterina Villarmosa to take part in the celebration.
Leaving the town centre, those who love nature and prefer to invest their time in real explorations will certainly appreciate the Geologically oriented natural reserve of the Scaleri district. A place that offers interesting ideas and is very important from a naturalistic and geomorphological point of view, due to the presence of some karst rocks, eroded by atmospheric agents and featuring parallel grooves. It's about the carts, a term coming from the German word karrenfelder, which indicates furrowed fields. This name because the rock formations convey the idea that a wagon passed by and left the signs of its transit on the ground.
The ancient roots of Santa Caterina Villarmosa, the legends that trace its history and the unique views are just some of the reasons to discover the most central village on the island. Whether it's a day or a weekend, it's impossible to miss out on a dive into the truest Sicilian tradition. And what are you waiting for? Come and see what Santa Caterina Villarmosa, the center of Sicily, has to offer!
