Prizzi

Set amidst fertile fields and lush pastures, Prizzi, ancient Greek city Hippana, is a village rich in natural and historical attractions in the province of Palermo. This land, renowned for its cereals, legumes, dairy products and oil, saw the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, then the Villaraut and Magrì families come and go.

Numerous monuments remain testifying to the numerous events and dominations in the village. Historical attractions include the splendid amphitheatre, the Ancient Tower built around 745 for defence and resistance to long sieges, and no less than 15 churches. These include:

The Mother Church, enlarged in 1561, and renovated in 1870; the beautiful and majestic Church of the Santissimo Crocifisso built around the 17th century; the Church of San Sebastiano built on a pre-existing Byzantine structure was the first church, placed on the living rock; the Church of San Antonio Abate built around 1150 with the Tablet of the Virgin of Idria, of exceptional historical-iconographic value; the Church of San Francesco, richly stuccoed on the vault and side walls.

The Hippana Archaeological Museum with numerous exhibits from the ancient city of Hippana, the St Nicholas Multimedia Museum and the Anthropological Museum are certainly worth a visit.