Collesano

Collesano (Zip Code 90016) is 157 km. distant from Agrigento, 102 km. from Caltanissetta, 187 km. from Catania, 97 km. from Enna, 213 km. from Messina, 72 km. from Palermo, which province it belongs to, 243 km. from Ragusa, 269 km. from Siracusa, 171 km. from Trapani.

The municipality has 4.578 inhabitants and its area covers 10.840 hectares for a density of population of 42 inhabitants per square kilometre. The town rises on an internal hilly area and is placed 468 metres above sea-level.

The Town Hall is in via Imera n. 1, tel. ++39 0921-661104 fax. ++39 0921-661205.

Wedged in a basin on the slopes of Mount Grotta del Signore, Collesano is important for its fairs of livestock and agricultural tools that take place in May. It is also important for its production of corn, olives and grapes. It is good to mention the presence in this territory of the greatest montainous Sicilian chain of Madonie now used as nature park. Interesting is also the famous Mount d'Oro used as archaeological area for having found several Arabic and Norman finds.

The name of the very small town of Collesano derives from a typical local surname Gulisano, descendent perhaps from a dialect word ulisanise that means "inhabitant of Collesano". Later Gulisano was translated into "Colle sano" (sound hill) such a good wish for the town.
Collesano rose in the XII century and was founded by the Normans who erected in the present area of the old town a typical feudal castle whose only few ruins still remain.In the XIII century it was possession of Lords of Ventimiglia; then it came to Moncada and Alvarez families who changed only a little part of original town-planning.

Going through small alleys and slender steps it gets to Garibaldi square that is the town centre has remained intact in the times and also its medieval charm is still evident. Then there is the Cathedral Church dates from XV century that still now keeps the original Gothic-Catalan portal.

Among the other monuments there are the Church of St. Maria la Vecchia dating back to the XII century that houses a marble statue made by Gagini; the Church of St. Maria del Gesù built in the XVII century, on its side the Convent and in the end the Church of St. Giacomo of 1500.

An odd rappresentation takes place in the small town, the so-called palio del Pipìu that is a running of turkeys and some bets are made on them. It takes place on 14 September in occasion of the Feast of the SS. Crucifix.