PALAZZO ADRIANO

Palazzo Adriano is a town of about 3,000 set in the province of Palermo at the foot of the Cozzo Braduscia, in the Sosio’s upper valley.

It grew as a town in its own right when a colony from Albania settled there sometimes around 1400s. In the early-1500s, it was granted on emphyteusis to the brothers Obizzio and Attilio Opezinga and successively – in the 18^th century – passed to the Marquis Adriano Notarbartolo. It fell under the ecclesiastic jurisdiction of Agrigento in 1845, then Monreale’s and, in 1860, Piana degli Albanesi’s Diocese.

The town retains much of its ancient charm, that has been able to capture celebrated filmmakers like Tornatore who here filmed scenes of his Oscar’s Nuovo Cinema Paradiso.

It is dotted with interesting cultural and architectonic sites. It has two major churches, both standing on Piazza Umberto I, used respectively by Greek and Roman Catholics.

The Greek catholic 1500’s Maria Santissima Assunta’s church is complete with a little staircase and preserves some interesting canvas paintings, a 1700’s icon representing the Assumption by Marsigli, and a 1400’s Crucifix by Marabitti.

The Roman Chiesa di Maria Santissima del Lume, is divided into three naves ornamented with fine vault frescoes and paintings attributed to the Zoppo di Gangi and artists of the Gagini school.

Palazzo Adriano boasts equally interesting naturalistic riches, begin with the San Calogero creek, flowing in the vicinity of the town, and the Sosio Valley designated as a Nature Reserve, of also geological interest.