Caltanissetta Urban Itinerary

Caltanissetta Urban Itinerary

Experience: Churches, Folklore, Villas and Palaces

Route: outdoor, loop

Km: 5

Duration: 1 h

Difficulty: easy

Terrain: asphalt

Route suitable: on foot

Ascent / Elevation gain: 162

Descent / Elevation loss: 153

2 Minutes of reading

From the Manzoni parking area, take the stairs to Via Cavour and cross the splendid Villa Cordova park.

Exiting onto Viale Testasecca, turn right and walk along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, from which you can admire Palazzo Benintende, Palazzo Testasecca, and the Regina Margherita Theatre. Along the way, you can also make use of the InfoPoint. Upon reaching the Church of Santa Croce, turn left behind you onto Via Paolo Emiliani Giudici, where on the right you’ll find the Church of Santa Maria SS. della Grazia del Consiglio di Maria. Take the first right to reach Piazza Garibaldi and turn left to visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Nova. Continue along Corso Umberto I and head into Viale Regina Margherita, where on your left you will discover: the Provincial Palace, Villa Amedeo, and the Church of the Madonna Assunta, up to the War Memorial.

Shortly afterward you can also visit the Church of the Madonna della Catena. At this point, go back up the entire Viale Regina Margherita where, after about 500 m, you’ll find the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art—a gem in the city. Go back up Corso Umberto I, cross Piazza Garibaldi, and turn right onto Via Giacomo Matteotti; here, in Largo Paolo Barile, you’ll find the Pro Loco of Caltanissetta and Palazzo Moncada, which houses the Civic Art Gallery. Continue up Corso Umberto I toward the north, via Via Palazzo Paternò and Via Aristuto, and visit the Church of Sant’Angelo al Collegio, the Library of the former Jesuit College, and the Stolpersteine, up to the Church of Santa Lucia. From here, to reach the historic Strata ‘a Foglia market, from Via Villalba turn right onto Via Terranova and then take the first left to descend to Viale Conte Testasecca. At the junction of Via Calasberna and Via Consultore Benintendi you’ll find the market. This entire last street is a real jewel; it is recommended to walk it all the way down until you return to Corso Vittorio Emanuele. At this point, turn right to go back to the starting point.

The stages of the itinerary

 
Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nova
Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nova
The main square of Caltanissetta, named after Garibaldi, is dominated by the façade of the Cathedral.
Moncada Palace
Moncada Palace
In the heart of the city stands a solemn and majestic building, clearly unfinished, although usable in the portion already completed.
Fountain of the Triton
Fountain of the Triton
In the center of Piazza Garibaldi, which was formerly called Piazza Ferdinandea, once stood a statue dedicated to Ferdinand of Bourbon.
Palazzo Testasecca
Palazzo Testasecca
The elegant eclectic-style palace faces Palazzo Benintende on Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
Church of Saint Agatha at the College
Church of Saint Agatha at the College
The 17th-century Jesuit church of Sant’Agata al Collegio stands at the end of Corso Umberto, like an imposing theatrical backdrop.
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
The palace, which houses the Town Hall of Caltanissetta, borders one side of Piazza Garibaldi and was built in 1866 on the site of a pre-existing Carmelite convent, from which it takes its name.
Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art
Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art
The Diocesan Museum of Caltanissetta, founded in 1983 by Monsignor Giovanni Speciale – to whom it is now dedicated – was inaugurated in 1986 with the first rooms set up on the ground floor of the Episcopal Seminary.
Villa Amedeo, formerly Selva dei Cappuccini
Villa Amedeo, formerly Selva dei Cappuccini
The Carbonari uprisings of 1820 turned into a sort of civil war in Sicily, and Caltanissetta, which had remained loyal to the Bourbon government, was subjected to looting by revolutionary troops.
Teatro Regina Margherita
Teatro Regina Margherita
In 1870, the city of Caltanissetta was on its way to becoming the world capital of sulfur, and the local notables felt the need to provide the city with an opera house that could rival those of the island’s main cities.
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.
War Memorial
War Memorial
In 1922, thanks to a local committee chaired by Dr. Luigi Sagona, a monument was erected in honor of the 289 soldiers and officers from Caltanissetta who fell in the battles of the First World War.
Villa Cordova
Villa Cordova
This was a public garden located near the railway station.
Church of Santa Croce
Church of Santa Croce
Closing Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the red façade of the Church of Santa Croce stands out.
 

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