Pollina

Pollina (Zip Code 90010) is 173 km. far from Agrigento, 137 km. from Caltanissetta, 215 km. from Catania, 118 km. from Enna, 179 km. from Messina, 99 km. from Palermo, which province it belongs to, 278 km. from Ragusa, 290 km. from Siracusa, 208 km. from Trapani.

The municipality has 3.182 inhabitants and its area is 4.990 hectares for a density of population of 64 inhabitants per square kilometre. It rises on an internal hilly area, and is 763 metres above sea-level.

The Town Hall is placed in piazza Maddalena, tel. ++39 0921-425009 fax. +39 0921-425426.

Many products are produced in the agricultural field such as grapes, cereals, olives, almonds, chestnuts, citrus fruit and hazel-nuts. Important is the festival of olive tree that takes place in November. In the handicraft there is wood and iron works and embroideries.

The name of Pollina has uncertain origins. Maybe it derives from Greek Apollonia that is dedicated to Apollo or from Greek Polla that means spring. The village took place round a Norman made castle in the Medieval period, but now are only ruins.
In 1187 the castle was a property of the bishop of Cefalù and near 1300 it came into possession of Ventimiglia family. Still now the very small town reflects its old medieval configuration.

Among its monuments there is the Cathedral Church that preserves most beautiful works of art by Gagini such as the "Natività" (nativity), the "Pietà" (piety) and the "Madonna Calva" (The bald Madonna). The "Teatro Pietra" (Stone theatre) is important for its semicircular plan, built in 1979 and typically of Greek theatre.