Itinerary of the Princes

Itinerary of the Princes

Experience: Archaeology, Churches, History

Route: outdoor, one way only

Km: 36 (one way only, without stops)

Duration: half an hour (one way, if avg. speed = 60 km/h)

Difficulty: easy

Terrain: asphalt

Route suitable: car/motorbike

Ascent / Elevation gain: 1152

Descent / Elevation loss: 926

3 Minutes of reading

This itinerary connects the three towns of Delia, Serradifalco, and San Cataldo.

They share the same foundation history, particularly through the constructions promoted by feudal princes. The route allows you to retrace the concrete role of the feudal lord in the development of the town he founded: not only through beautiful architecture but also thanks to the artworks and sacred furnishings donated to places of worship.

The journey begins in Piazza Madrice in Delia, where the Mother Church of Santa Maria di Loreto stands. Beyond its imposing façade, inside you can admire the reliquary of Saint Rosalia, dating back to 1694 and commissioned by the Lucchesi to the silversmiths of Palermo, the painting of Saint Rosalia interceding for the protection of the town, attributed to Pietro d’Asaro, and finally a baroque wooden frame carved between the late 17th and early 18th century.

The second stop in Delia takes you to the Church of Carmelo, which houses two fine gilded carved wooden frames, probably dating from the first half of the 18th century, only one of which, complete, bears the coat of arms of the Princes of Palagonia.

At this point, the itinerary heads toward Serradifalco, to admire the interventions of the Lo Faso family. The first stop is the Mother Church of San Leonardo Abate, where you can find the reliquary of Saint Leonard and other saints, liturgical vestments, and sacred furnishings. The second stop leads to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, which contains canvases by Vito D’Anna, the Palermo painter of the aristocracy.

The Itinerary of the Princes then continues and ends in San Cataldo, where you can appreciate the contributions of the Galletti family. Inside the Mother Church, the family coat of arms is placed on the vault; two imposing and refined 18th-century frames are located in the “family transept,” where the funerary monuments of Giuseppe Galletti and Nicola Galletti la Grua are housed. Also notable are: the large silver monstrance, repoussé and chiseled by the Palermo silversmith Giuseppe Didaco Russo and commissioned by Giuseppe Galletti in 1719, the precious ivory Crucifix from the same century, carved from a single elephant tusk measuring 70 cm, the liturgical vestments embroidered in gold, and finally the statues of the Immaculate (1689) by an anonymous Palermo artist and of Saint Cataldo, made in 1786.

The final stop is the Capuchin Church, where interesting 18th-century wooden altars are preserved.
 

The stages of the itinerary

 
Church of Santa Maria di Loreto
Church of Santa Maria di Loreto
The Mother Church is the main place of worship in the town, as well as one of its most important historical and religious symbols.
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the most decorated church in Delia and the one that preserves the greatest number of works of art inside.
Mother Church – Archpriesthood of San Cataldo
Mother Church – Archpriesthood of San Cataldo
The Mother Church of San Cataldo, located in the heart of the city in Piazza Madrice, is a symbol of faith and history for the local community.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi at the Capuchins
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi at the Capuchins
The Capuchin church, together with the convent, was commissioned by Prince Giuseppe Galletti.
Mother Church of San Leonardo Abate
Mother Church of San Leonardo Abate
In the heart of Serradifalco stands the majestic Mother Church of Saint Leonard Abbot, the main place of worship in the town and the center of religious and civic life since its origins.
Church of the Immaculate Conception
Church of the Immaculate Conception
The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Serradifalco, built around 1750 at the request of Don Ignazio Maria Lo Faso, represents a significant example of 18th-century religious architecture in central Sicily.
 

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