Caltanissetta Itinerary (Cathedral–Castle)

Caltanissetta Itinerary (Cathedral–Castle)

Experience: Castles, Churches, History

Route: outdoor, loop

Km: 4,7

Duration: 2h

Difficulty: easy

Terrain: asphalt

Route suitable: on foot

Ascent / Elevation gain: 223

Descent / Elevation loss: 223

2 Minutes of reading

Start from the small parking area to the right of the Church of Maria SS. della Grazia of the Collegio di Maria.

Turn right onto Via Mauro Tumminelli and take the stairs on the right leading up to the Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nova. From Piazza Garibaldi, where you can admire the Fountain of Triton and the Rectorate of San Sebastiano, take Corso Umberto I and stop at both Palazzo del Carmine, which houses the Town Hall, and the Contemporary Art Exhibition Center. Turning right onto Via Giacomo Matteotti and taking the stairs on the right, you will reach the Regina Margherita Theater. Retrace the stairs and enter Largo Paolo Barile, where you will find Palazzo Moncada with its Civic Art Gallery and the Pro Loco. From here, continue along Corso Umberto I to reach the Church of Sant’Agata al Collegio and the Library. Once at the Church of Santa Lucia, turn left up the stairs, then turn right and left again. Walk along Viale Maddalena Calafato and, upon reaching Via Consultore Benintendi, you will find the Historic Market Strata ‘a Foglia. Going down Viale Conte Testasecca, on the right you can enter and stroll through Villa Cordova. At this point, return to Corso Vittorio Emanuele, where you can visit Palazzo Benintende and Palazzo Testasecca. Turn right onto Via Palestro, pass alongside the Church of Madonna della Provvidenza, then turn left onto Via Carlo Goldoni, right onto Via Villaglori, and arrive at the Church of San Giuseppe. Climb up Via Bannò and, peeking through the alleys following the path on the map, you will reach the magnificent Church of San Giovanni. From here, Via Angeli will lead you to the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Monumental Cemetery, continuing also toward the Pietrarossa Castle. Now retrace Via Angeli and turn right onto Vicolo Lepre to reach the picturesque Arab Quarter. From here, turn left up the stairs to reach the Church of San Domenico, then turn right onto Via Medina and left onto Via Arcadipane to return to the starting point.

The stages of the itinerary

 
Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nova
Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nova
In the heart of Piazza Garibaldi, the hub of city life, the Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nova rises with a façade of two bell towers in golden calcarenite, which at sunset glows with reflections like a theatrical backdrop.
Moncada Palace - Civic Art Gallery
Moncada Palace - Civic Art Gallery
Overlooking Largo Barile, Palazzo Moncada is Caltanissetta’s monumental “unfinished palace”: a baroque quadrilateral.
Fountain of the Triton
Fountain of the Triton
In the heart of Piazza Garibaldi, the urban and symbolic center of Caltanissetta, the Fountain of the Triton rises like a small mythological stage.
Castle of Pietrarossa
Castle of Pietrarossa
On the eastern edge of Caltanissetta’s historic center, the reddish ruins of the Castle of Pietrarossa rise like a shipwrecked hull above the valley of the Imera.
Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Santa Maria la Vetere)
Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Santa Maria la Vetere)
The parish church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, also known as Santa Maria la Vetere, has borne this name since the 17th century to distinguish it from the Mother Church, Santa Maria la Nova.
Palazzo Benintende
Palazzo Benintende
Palazzo Benintende was commissioned by Baron Filippo Benintende in the first half of the 19th century and entrusted to the creativity of architect Giuseppe Di Bartolo.
Palazzo del Carmine – Town Hall
Palazzo del Carmine – Town Hall
Built around 1371 as the Convent of the Discalced Carmelites next to the Church of Maria Santissima Annunziata, the complex today houses the Town Hall of Caltanissetta.
Church of Saint Sebastian
Church of Saint Sebastian
The Church of Saint Sebastian is located in Piazza Garibaldi, opposite the Cathedral of Caltanissetta. It was built at the beginning of the 16th century but has undergone numerous modifications over time.
Teatro Regina Margherita
Teatro Regina Margherita
Inaugurated on March 16, 1875 with the staging of Verdi’s Macbeth, the Teatro Regina Margherita of Caltanissetta is one of the first municipal theatres in Italy.
Historic Market “Strata a Foglia”
Historic Market “Strata a Foglia”
This ancient market is still held daily today, with a lively backdrop of voices, colors, and scents that recall the city’s Arab origins.
Contemporary Art Exhibition Center (Former Air-Raid Shelter)
Contemporary Art Exhibition Center (Former Air-Raid Shelter)
Next to the town hall, beneath the street surface, lies a former 1943 air-raid shelter, converted into a Contemporary Art Exhibition Center and inaugurated in 2018.
Former Jesuit College – Municipal Library
Former Jesuit College – Municipal Library
The majestic building on Corso Umberto I, which today houses the “Luciano Scarabelli” Municipal Library, was once the Jesuit College, founded in 1622.
Villa Cordova
Villa Cordova
This was a public garden located near the railway station.
Church of Saint Mary of Grace
Church of Saint Mary of Grace
Also known as the Church of Our Lady of Grace or simply Church of Grace, it is an important religious building located in Caltanissetta.
Church of Saint Lucy
Church of Saint Lucy
The current building dates back to the post-war period and stands on the site of the previous church, destroyed by the bombings of July 9, 1943.
Church of Saint John
Church of Saint John
Located in the Angeli district, the Church of Saint John, also known as the Church of Purgatory, is one of the oldest religious buildings in Caltanissetta.
 

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