In this article you will find out what to see Centuripe. The town was founded by the Siculians, and later many other peoples inhabited this magnificent village. In fact, Greeks, Romans, Swabians and Angevins succeeded one another.
The village, after having suffered several destructions, was rebuilt in 1548 by Count Francesco Moncada, following the curious shape of the hill . Beyond the seventeenth-century Mother Church , with a particular pink color, here’s what to see in Centuripe.
1. Roman mausoleum
The Roman mausoleum was a funerary building from the Roman era. From here you will have a beautiful view of Centuripe, the plain of Catania and Mount Etna, it was no coincidence that Garibaldi called Centuripe the balcony of Sicily. From here, a walk along the tree-lined avenue is recommended, until you reach a small square with an even more suggestive view.
The Mausoleum is also called Corradino in honor of the Swabian Corrado Capece, who here tried to defeat the advance of the Angevins. His story, however, is very sad, after losing the battle, he was blinded and hanged in Catania by his enemies .
2. Archaeological Museum of Centuripe
In the Archaeological Museum, there are many finds around 3,000 , many from the Greek and Roman period. If you have time on your hands it is absolutely worth a visit.
3. Roman Baths
Do not miss the remains of the Roman thermal baths . These are 5 arches lying at the foot of the hill, in which some pictorial decorations are still visible today. The first apse on the right was used as a dressing room and the second as a cold bath. In the other 3, however, the drainage channel of the swimming pool passed.
Curiosity: The baths were still used for many centuries after the Romans. In fact, a coin from 1246 testifies to the use of this complex up to that time.
4. Top Secret Tip: Riparo Cassataro
This magnificent prehistoric testimony, unknown to most, is hidden inside a small shelter of huge sandstone blocks, among olive trees and prickly pears near the Simeto river . Here in 1976 some cave paintings were discovered , the only ones known in eastern Sicily. The site was discovered in 1976 and was used as a place of worship, it can also be seen from the circular cups dug into the floor and which are linked to religious rites, as attested in other locations.
These paintings are the only prehistoric cave paintings so far known from eastern Sicily . There are figures of people, with arms in various positions that represent a kind of magical dance around a deity . One even seems to have a drum in hand. A series of paintings is black and is from the Neolithic period (hardly visible except with infrared photography). The other, on the other hand, is attributable to the Bronze Age and is reddish in color, obtained from minerals present in the area, ground with rudimentary tools.
The view of Etna from here is also very beautiful , even if it almost takes a back seat compared to these magnificent prehistoric finds. In other countries it would have been made to become a place of pilgrimage, in Sicily it is abandoned to itself.
To get there, go to the beginning of the dirt road, leave your car here and then proceed on foot.
5. Second Top Secret tip: Carcaci
An abandoned village of 1700, not far from Centuripe , where the only remaining inhabitants are peacocks. Are you interested?
Centuripe interactive map
To locate yourself once in the area, click on the enlarge symbol at the top right of the map.
What to see around Centuripe
Centuripe is part of the province of Enna. Here you find the most beautiful places to visit around Enna .
Typical dishes of Enna and surroundings
Centuripe is located as mentioned above, in the province of Enna. Do you want to try the typical dishes in the Ennese area? Here I wrote an article on what to eat in Enna and surroundings.
Here instead you find the typical Sicilian dishes in general.