Caltanissetta - Caltanissetta

Caltanissetta is a city of Sicily.

To know

The city was probably founded by the Arabs in the 10th century, and the name also derives from the Arabic Qalʿat an-nisāʾ, literally translatable as "castle of women". It was a feudal city until the nineteenth century, for four hundred years under the dominion of the Moncada di Paternò family, who sponsored the arrival of numerous religious orders, as evidenced by the numerous convents and monasteries in the city; of the Moncada family remains the homonymous palace, an imposing construction in Baroque style, which however remained unfinished. Throughout the nineteenth century, and up to the first half of the twentieth century, it experienced a strong economic boom driven by the presence of vast deposits of sulfur, which earned it the nickname of "sulfur capital of the world".

Geographical notes

The city of Caltanissetta is placed in a prominent position dominating the whole Salso valley, which extends to include the neighbor Enna. Morphologically, it perfectly follows the characteristics of the surrounding area, very harsh and of calcareous-clayey composition.

The city rises between three hills (Sant'Anna, Monte San Giuliano is Poggio Sant'Elia) which, arranged in an arch, form a basin within which part of the historic center and all the southern districts develop.

When to go

The climate is rather continental, rigid and dry in winter, hot and breezy in summer.

Background

A small city that developed under the rule of Syracuse in Greek times it was present on Mount Gibil-Gabib had created the settlement of "Nissa". After the Punic Wars, the dominion over Sicily passed to the Roman Empire. The Castle of Pietrarossa, built under the Byzantine rule (after the fall of the Roman Empire), probably fell under the rule of the Arabs around 846; the city was then given the new name of Qalʿat al-nisāʾ.

After the expulsion of the Arabs from Sicily by the Normans under Count Roger I, followed by the Swabians under Frederick II in the 12th century, the city passed under the dominion of new masters. In the following centuries, there were the Aragones which followed the dominion of Caltanissetta under Guglielmo Raimondo Moncada. In addition to the expansion of the city with churches and palaces, the Moncada Palace was built. After the arrival of Garibaldi the dominion of the Bourbons ended after 1860.

During the 19th century, the city became rich thanks to the extraction of vast deposits of sulfur in the vicinity. With 88 mines in its territory, Caltanissetta was nicknamed the sulfur capital of the world. During the third decade of the twentieth century, there was a period of intense cultural activity, so much so that the writer Leonardo Sciascia he called it a "little Athens".

After the Second World War the city began a slow decline and is now one of the provincial capitals with the highest unemployment rates in the country.

How to orient yourself

TO 37.4897114.063341 Garibaldi Square the four historic districts of the city meet. But there is also 37.49105214.0626422 Corso Umberto I (which extends south into Viale Regina Margherita) e 37.49045914.0652443 Corso Vittorio Emanuele as road axes.

The Arab quarter revolves around 37.48921414.0659654 Via San Domenico, partly in the winding streets there are still the "Dammusi", old Arab buildings with a room in the lower part that have been partly carved into the rock.

Neighborhoods

• 37.49157414.0649171 Holy Cross or Badia
• 37.48901214.0630072 Providence
• 37.49160814.0607113 San Rocco
• 37.48930114.0656364 San Domenico o quarter of the Angels - here is the ancient Arab quarter

Fractions

• 37.50055614.095 Santa Barbara village
• 37.54305614.0602786 Borgo Petilia
• Favarella village
• Cozzo di Naro
• 37.48333314.0666677 Borgo Canicassè Casale
• Learners
• 37.39194414.0105568 Santa Rita
• Turret
• Xirbi

How to get

By plane

• Catania-Fontanarossa Airport - with domestic flights to all Italian cities, and flights to the main European destinations and various international locations.
• Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (Falcone and Borsellino Airport) - The airport operates national and international flights, and various connections low cost. Numerous periodic tourist flights in summer e charter.

By car

Caltanissetta is located in the center of Sicily on the route between Palermo is Catania and the south coast with Gela is Agrigento. From Palermo or from Catania you use the highway free, taking the exit for Caltanissetta on the . The same in the process of modernization and expansion leads to Canicattì to Agrigento, for Gela through the .

On the train

• 37.48833314.05751 Central Station, piazza Roma (a short distance from the suburban bus terminal). The following lines pass from the station: Catania-Agrigento, Caltanissetta Xirbi-Gela-Syracuse, Caltanissetta-Palermo  
• 37.536414.05692 Caltanissetta Xirbi station (About 7 km north of the city, in a countryside area close to the hamlet of Xirbi and a Santa Caterina Villarmosa). The following lines pass from the station: Caltanissetta Xirbi-Agrigento, Catania-Palermo. Being so far from the city, and also lacking a shuttle service able to connect it with the city center, the station is very little frequented: passengers pass through it mostly to get on connections.  

By bus

• 37.48744614.0588693 Bus terminus, Street Rochester (opposite the train station and a ten minute walk from the city center), ☎ 39 0934 1905167. Many companies make connections to Caltanissetta, connecting it with other cities in Sicily and the rest of Italy. : The main Sicilian destinations served with the highest frequency are:

• Palermo about 10 times a day, with a stop at Palermo central station, which in turn is connected by train to the airport.
• Catania about 15 times a day, including an intermediate stop at Catania airport and a final stop at the central railway station.
• Agrigento about 15 times a day. Due to the fact that the Catania-Caltanissetta line continues to Agrigento, this route benefits from the same high frequency.
• Enna about 6 times a day in "Enna Bassa" (the modern part of the city) and about 8 times a day in "Enna alta" (the old part).
• Freeze about 7 times a day.

Companies offering services to and from Caltanissetta include SAIS Autolinee, Interbus, SAIS Transport is Astra. 

How to get around

By public transport

From the terminus of the central station all the urban bus lines depart, managed by the local Scat transport. All lines start and end at the central station, making it easy to transfer to intercity trains or buses. There are six main lines, plus a school special, a special line for the monumental cemetery and one for the street market organized every Saturday.

A single ticket costs € 1.20 and is valid for 75 minutes. Purchased in groups of twenty, they cost just € 2 each. A day ticket costs € 3, while weekly passes are available for € 15.

By taxi

There are only a few taxis in the city and the only permanent taxi stops are at the central station and the intercity bus terminal.

• 37.48756314.0582744 Taxi Driver Family, Via Rochester Bus Terminal, ☎ 39 388 4826279. 

By car

To visit the historic center you do not need a car, due to its small size. Attention must be paid to the limited traffic areas (ZTL) set up in the Provvidenza district (H24) and along part of Corso Vittorio Emanuele; the latter is however signaled by a traffic light system and by some retractable poles that are activated during the time in which the ZTL is in force (a few hours in the afternoon).

Parking lots

• 37.49034814.0661595 Multi-level car park, via Gold Medals. 
• 37.48973414.0602686 Piazza Marconi parking, Marconi square. 
• 37.49222814.0588367 Market Square, Market square. 

What see

Religious buildings

• 37.48959114.0639431 ^{[link not working]}Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nuova, Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, ☎ 39 0934 21642. Seat of the bishopric of Caltanissetta. It was built between 1560 and 1622 and features frescoes by the Flemish painter William Borremans and a wooden statue of San Michele by Stefano Li Volsi. The Baroque-style interior is impressive and its blue dome is easily spotted from many parts of the city, providing an easy-to-follow landmark.  

• 37.48985114.0630022 Church of San Sebastiano, Piazza Garibaldi, 13 (in front of the Cathedral), ☎ 39 0934 581698. Built around the sixteenth century as a tribute to the Saint by the population for the liberation from the plague and in the past the seat of the congregation of butchers, the church of San Sebastiano is located in Piazza Garibaldi, right in front of the Cathedral. The church was resized and restored several times. In 1711 it was modified lengthwise to give space to the square opposite. On that occasion it was embellished both inside and in the main façade. The elegant facade, designed by the architect Pasquale Saetta at the end of the nineteenth century, is enriched by columns belonging to all three classical orders, and by some statues by the sculptor Biancardi.  

• 37.49072514.0662773 Church of the Holy Cross, Largo Badia, 1, ☎ 39 0934 21162. The church and the adjoining monastery of the Benedictine nuns date back to 1531 when Count Antonio III Moncada had it built. In 1590 the countess Moncada donated a relic of a stone cross and since then the church has taken the name of the church of the Holy Cross. In 1660 a farmer near the abbey of Santo Spirito found a stone in which the effigy of the Cross seems to be naturally seen, since then this stone, ascertained and excluded any human intervention, was consecrated and performs the function of a relic jealously preserved in the church homonymous. The church has a single nave, features on the external façade the jealousies of the windows that overlook along the whole major axis of the seventeenth-century façade of austere style, embellished with sandstone ashlars.

The adjoining convent was the "IX Maggio" Teaching Institute attended by Leonardo Sciascia of which one of the professors was Vitaliano Brancati.  

• 37.49175814.0621924 Church of Sant'Agata al Collegio, C.so Umberto I (A few steps from the Duomo), ☎ 39 0934 21949. The church was built between 1600 and 1610 on a pre-existing church, also dedicated to Sant'Agata, while the works of the adjoining Jesuit College (from which the church takes its name) began in 1589 and ended only in the second half of the 'Nineteenth century. The church, with a Greek cross plan, is covered inside with marble and stucco and decorated with frescoes largely repainted after World War II by the Nissen artist Luigi Garbato.  

• 37.49216414.0621285 Jesuit College (Scarabelli library), Via Gravina, 88. Mon – Fri 09: 00–13: 15 and Mon and Thu 15: 30–18: 15. The college, in a typically Baroque style, houses the "Luciano Scarabelli" municipal library and the "Vincenzo Bellini" musical high school.  

• 37.48699714.0706196 Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (the Vetere), Via Angeli, 158. Located close to the Pietrarossa castle. Built between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, from 1239 to 1622 it was the parish seat of the city of Caltanissetta, succeeding the abbey of Santo Sprito. After the unification of Italy it was deconsecrated and passed to the Ministry of War, and since then it has suffered an inexorable decline. It was the subject of a complex restoration in the first ten years of the 2000s. Worthy of note is the main western door, adorned with particular friezes in sandstone, which has a pointed arch archivolt.  

• 37.506314.07627 Abbey of Santo Spirito, Via di Santo Spirito, 57,, ☎ 39 0934 566596. It was commissioned by the Great Count Roger and built on an ancient Arab farmhouse. The church, consecrated in 1153, consists of a single three-apsed nave and has notable artistic elements, such as the baptismal font and the numerous frescoes that cover the internal walls.  
• 37.48843914.0667398 Church of San Giovanni, Via S. Giovanni Bosco. Located in the oldest part of the historic center, not far from the church of San Domenico, it was founded in the 11th century, but was remodeled several times and in the 18th century a radical restoration canceled any medieval pre-existence. Completely destroyed during the bombing of Caltanissetta in 1943, it was rebuilt in 1945. The interior of the church is decorated with frescoes by Pollaci. The church is also called "del Purgatorio" because of the homonymous brotherhood which settled there in the 17th century.  

• 37.48918714.06649 Church of San Domenico, P.za San Domenico. It was founded in 1400 after the arrival of the Moncadas in Caltanissetta. The building was built in the center of the Angeli district, where then there were no other churches. The construction of the church is intertwined with the history of the city and the Moncada family. Antonio Moncada, in fact, in 1458 to inherit his title, had to renounce the cassock and, therefore, as "compensation" to the Dominican order, to which he belonged, had a church built with an adjoining convent. The church continued to be enriched and improved over time. The façade of the church, convex in the central part and concave laterally, was built, for example, in the seventeenth century, and the precious canvas by the Tuscan Filippo Paladini, a painting depicting the Madonna del Rosario, dates back to the same period. This canvas has an important historical, as well as artistic value, as there are portraits of the sons of Count Francesco II Moncada. Recent research has shown the presence of a hidden crypt in the church, which was not known before, probably one of the oldest places in the city.  

• 37.49400214.06387510 Church and monastery of Santa Flavia, Via Our Lady of Fatima, ☎ 39 0934 25877. They are located on the slopes of the Sant'Anna hill, in a panoramic place in the city, on the edge of the historic center. They were made by the will of Maria d'Aragona, widow of Count Francesco II Moncada; the convent was built between the end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the sixteenth century, while the church, built on the pre-existing church of Santa Venera, was completed only in 1793. Between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the convent was transformed into a military barracks and subsequently it fell into disrepair. It was restored between the end of the twentieth century and the early 2000s, with works that brought to light, among other things, the façade of the pre-existing church of Santa Venera.  

• 37.49066914.05323311 Church and convent of San Michele, Via Sallemi, 120, ☎ 39 0934 25111. Their construction is linked to the visions of the Capuchin friar Francesco Giarratana, who in 1625 saw the archangel Michael prevent a plague from entering Caltanissetta, whose body was found in the following days in the place where the complex stands. The church initially built fell into disrepair, and was rebuilt only in 1837, when the city was again spared from an epidemic, this time of cholera. The convent was built in 1888 at the behest of Father Angelico Lipani, and was the third in the city in chronological order, after the convent of contrada Xiboli and that of contrada Pigni.  
• 37.48623114.06499212 Shrine of the Lord of the City, Via S. Nicolò, 25, ☎ 39 0934 20101. Born as a church dedicated to San Nicola di Bari, since the 18th century it houses the Black Christ, the wooden crucifix co-patron of the city. Key figures were the friar Angelico Lipani, rector of the church in the 19th century, and the Testasecca counts, thanks to whose donations it was possible to enlarge and embellish the building. There was founded the order of the Franciscan Sisters of the Lord of the City and the homonymous charity institute. Inside there are some statues, including the San Francesco del Biangardi; the altar is adorned with Bevilacqua's mosaics, made in the 1950s.  

• 37.49208114.06588113 Church of Sant'Antonio alla Saccara, via Saccarella. Built around the seventeenth century, it was enlarged in 1866 and dedicated to the Madonna with the name of Santa Maria di Montemaggiore; the current name dates back to 1877. In 1911 the "Boccone del Povero" institute was founded. It is located in the Cozzarello district, also called della Saccara.  
• 37.4882114.0615314 Church of Santa Maria della Provvidenza, Via Provvidenza, 42-50. It is located within the district of which it is eponymous, has a facade and a bell tower built in the early twentieth century. In this church Leonardo Sciascia married Maria Andronico on July 19, 1944.  
• 37.49226114.058615 Church of Santa Maria della Grazia, Via Paolo Emiliani Giudici, 66, ☎ 39 0934 21668. Seventeenth-century church built on a pre-existing votive chapel dedicated to the Madonna della Grazia, hence the name. The church has a single nave with side altars and a barrel vault richly decorated with stuccoes. The main altar preserves the painting of the Madonna della Grazia by Pietro Antonio Novelli.  
• 37.37194313.94410516 Villa Cappellano, SP1. It is a monastery-farm built by the Jesuits in the 16th century and used as their summer residence until 1843, when they replaced it with the new little house in Balate. It has several buildings that overlook a quadrangular courtyard; the main body has a typically baroque façade. The chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is also part of the complex, from which comes the wooden frame preserved in the mother church of Delia. Today abandoned, it is located 2 km from Delia.  

• 37.48797114.042917 Casina dei Gesuiti in Balate, via Leone XIII. Built by the Jesuits, in 1843 it replaced Villa Cappellano as a summer residence. After the unification of Italy it was expropriated and since 1872 it has been owned by the Municipality of Caltanissetta; today it is the seat of the boarding school of the "Angelo Di Rocco" Higher Institute.  
• 37.48712214.07123918 Monumental Cemetery of the Angels (cemetery of the Angels), Via Angeli, 23 (next to the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Pietrarossa castle). free. Mon-Sun 07: 00-13: 00. It serves as the city's cemetery and preserves the remains of many illustrious citizens. It was built at the end of 1878. Some tombs and chapels are richly decorated, also with statues by Francesco Biangardi and Michele Tripisciano.  

Palaces

• 37.4902414.0635519 Palazzo del Carmine (city ​​Hall), C.so Umberto I, 134, ☎ 39 0934 21900. The construction of the building began around the year 1371. The area in which it stands at the time was well outside the city walls and housed a small rural church dedicated to San Giacomo. At the behest of Guglielmo Peralta and his wife Eleonora d'Aragona, daughter of the Marquis of Randazzo; near the church was built the convent of the Discalced Carmelites and the adjoining church of Maria Santissima Annunziata, commonly called Madonna del Carmine. With the urban expansion that the city had in the following centuries (and in particular in the sixteenth century), the convent complex was incorporated into the city fabric, flanked by the new church of San Giacomo and the church of San Paolino. During the nineteenth century, due to the suppression of religious orders, the Discalced Carmelites left the convent which was demolished to build the municipal seat; the churches that flanked it were demolished and, in place of that of the Savior, set back, was built the city theater (the Teatro Regina Margherita). The building houses the Town Hall of the city and has been, over the years, so enriched in the façade that the only trace of the ancient convent is made up of some pieces of masonry incorporated into the current walls. 
• Palace of the Province. The construction was begun by the architect Giuseppe Di Bartolo in the first half of the nineteenth century. He wanted to build a large building that would house both the provincial and municipal offices. The complexity of the work, however, turned out to be such that in 1870 the palace was far from being completed. The project was then resized by the engineer Agostino Tacchini and was intended to house only the offices of the Province. Among the artists who contributed to the construction of the building, we remember: Luigi Greco from Nyssa who created the council chamber and the main staircase; another from Nyssa, Michele Tripisciano, for the sculptures that adorn the palace; Pasquale Sozzi from Catania for the interior decorations. 

• 37.48944914.06039520 Post Office Building, Via Francesco Crispi. Built following the demolition of the Church of Sant'Antonino (built in 1637) in the second decade of the twentieth century, it is designed to make offices and the telegraph more functional. The palace project, built in 1931 and inaugurated on October 29, 1934, is by the engineer G. Lombardo. It is spread over three floors, the last of which with the functions of an attic occupies only the central part. The architectural ensemble is influenced by the style of the Fascist period, as evidenced by the frescoes by the Palermo artist Gino Morici and by the architectural solutions. Having passed into the ownership of the Banca del Nisseno in 2004, the building was made usable after twenty years of neglect thanks to a rigorously conservative restoration; it is also the seat of the Superintendence for cultural and environmental heritage of Caltanissetta which has subjected it to a bond with D.A. nº 6669 of 22 June 1999 declaring it of important historical, artistic and architectural interest.  
• 37.49114.06289621 Banco di Sicilia Palace, Corso Umberto I. It was built around 1920 on a project by Antonio Zanca in place of the old "Moncada houses" in Corso Umberto I; it was among the first buildings in Caltanissetta to be made of reinforced concrete. It is built in neoclassical style, with architectural elements in local stone, and has an internal courtyard covered by a polychromatic glass skylight.  

• 37.4898814.0615322 Testasecca Palace, Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Made during the nineteenth century in neoclassical style by the family of Count Ignazio Testasecca. It is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, in front of the Palazzo Benintende. Inside, the main floor is frescoed in an eclectic style. 
• 37.49014214.06162823 Palazzo Benintende, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 133. Made by Giuseppe Di Bartolo, it presents an interesting superimposition of architectural orders: the columns on the noble floor are in Ionic style, while those on the second floor are in Doric style; there are also numerous medallions and pilasters that increase the architectural value of the building. In 1862 Giuseppe Garibaldi stayed there. It is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele. 

• 37.48816114.06000924 Villa Mazzone (Mazzone hotels), Via Francesco Crispi, 33, ☎ 39 0934 25500. Also known as the Mazzone hotel, it is located between via Francesco Crispi and via Napoleone Colajanni, and has a small, well-preserved garden. It was built at the end of the nineteenth century on a project by Sebastiano Mottura to house the railway construction workers, but starting from the early twentieth century it was enlarged and converted into the Grand Hotel Concordia, which after a few decades of fame, closed definitively in the seventies. , overwhelmed by the economic crisis. Since the nineties it has housed a retirement home.  
• 37.4916714.06419425 Palazzo Tumminelli-Paternò, via Re d'Italia. The building built in the eighteenth century, was born from the merger of several pre-existing real estate units; it has only one elevation. The sides of the façade are in bare stone and has balconies with stone galleries supported by carved corbels. The balconies are characterized by the typical “Spanish-style” shaped wrought iron railings.  

• 37.48335714.05970826 Vittorio Emanuele II Hospital, V.le Regina Margherita, 36. Set up on the occasion of a violent cholera epidemic in the building that was the second Capuchin convent, it was the city's hospital for over a century, from 1868 to 1979, when it was replaced by the modern Sant'Elia hospital. It is located in viale Regina Margherita, next to the Villa Amedeo.  

Museums

• 37.492514.0411927 ^{[link not working]}Mineralogical, paleontological and sulfur mine museum, Viale della Regione 73, Caltanissetta, @[email protected]. 3€. 09: 00-13: 00 and 15: 00-20: 00. Contains a rich collection of fossils and more than 5000 minerals. Inaugurated in 2012, it hosts a permanent exhibition on the technological, scientific and social aspects of the sulfur mines of central Sicily.  

• 37.5053914.07811628 archaeological Museum, Contrada Spirito Santo (on the outskirts of the city, just behind the Abbey of the Holy Spirit). € 4.00, € 2.00 for over 65s and students. 09: 00-13: 00 and 15: 30-19: 00. Inaugurated in 2006. It has numerous prehistoric and historical artifacts from all over the province, such as Polizzello, Capodarso, Sabucina etc. Interesting are the models of a clay temple found in Sabucina (5th century BC). The museum houses some copies of the exhibited artifacts, which can be touched by the public, so that blind or visually impaired people can experience them.  
• 37.48484814.05827529 Museum of the Vare ("Vare" Sacred Groups Exhibition Hall), Via Napoleone Colajanni (c / o Church of San Pio X), ☎ 39 331 603 2502. 2€. Sun 10: 00-13: 00 or by reservation. Exhibition hall containing 15 of the 16 Vare of Holy Thursday. 
• 37.4862314.06150630 Diocesan Museum, V.le Regina Margherita, 29, ☎ 39 0934 21165. free. Mon – Fri 09: 00-13: 00 and 16: 00-19: 00. Permanent exhibition of sacred art and illuminated books testifies to the artistic ferment that characterized the city during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  
• 37.49061514.0630231 Contemporary art museum, Via Giacomo Matteotti, 2. Housed in an old underground anti-aircraft bunker, it was inaugurated in 2017. It does not have a permanent collection, but hosts a temporary exhibition of national and international contemporary artists. 
• 37.49100614.06367532 ^{[link not working]}Civic Art Gallery Palazzo Moncada (Civic Art Gallery and Tripisciano Museum), Largo Barile, 5 (at Palazzo Moncada), ☎ 39 0934 585890. free. Tue – Fri 09: 30–13: 00 and 17: 00–20: 00, Sat 10: 00–13: 00 and 17: 00–20: 00. An incomplete palace, whose construction was interrupted because its owner Guillermo de Moncada was appointed viceroy of Valencia and returned to the Iberian Peninsula. Today it houses a cinema and the municipal art gallery which contains works by local artists, including the famous sculptor Michele Tripisciano, and temporary exhibitions with loans from all over the world.  

Monuments

• 37.4913114.0626533 Statue of King Umberto I, Corso Umberto I. 

• 37.50018814.05737334 Monument to the Redeemer, Via S. Giuliano. It was erected on the occasion of the 1900 Jubilee on the top of Mount San Giuliano, which overlooks the city, so that it was in the center of gravity of Sicily; of similar monuments there is one in each geographical region of Italy. It is a stone base containing a chapel inside, the work of Ernesto Basile from Palermo, on which there is a bronze statue of Christ the Redeemer inspired by a marble statue on the facade of the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome. The "feast of the Redeemer", held in Caltanissetta on 6 August, is linked to his devotion. It is a popular evening destination, especially during the hot summer months, due to the temperature which is usually about 5 degrees lower than the rest of the city.  

• 37.48161514.05803635 War Memorial, viale Regina Margherita. It commemorates the 291 Nissen soldiers who fell during the Great War. It is a bronze statue that reproduces two human figures: the first, in an upright position, represents the homeland, and surrounds a helmet surrounded by laurel and oak twigs, with one hand holding a book and a palm, with the other indicating downwards, where the second figure, the hero, is holding the tricolor. The statue is placed on a base that has a staircase on the front, and at the base two cannons and a bronze laurel wreath. It was inaugurated on December 16, 1922 by the will of a specially constituted committee chaired by doctor Luigi Sagona, who had lost relatives in the conflict. Initially located a short distance from the episcopal seminary, in an area adjacent to viale Regina Margherita which was called viale delle Rimembranze, in 1965 it was moved to its current site, 500 m from the original one. It was built on a project by the sculptor Cosimo Sorgi using the bronze stolen from the enemy by the Laganà foundry in Naples. It is the city seat of the commemorations of November 4th. 

• 37.48984614.06330736 Triton Fountain, Garibaldi Square. Located in the central Piazza Garibaldi, it is probably the most representative monument of the city and is often used as its informal symbol. It has recently been refurbished and a new lighting system creates striking effects during the evening. 
• 37.50055614.06277837 Caltanissetta transmitter, Via Antenna. The radio transmitter system is an inactive system for long, medium and short wave broadcasting. Its main element is an omnidirectional antenna of 286 meters high, which holds the record for the tallest structure in Italy, it stands on a hill of 660 m asl. In 2013 the municipal council of the city approved the purchase of the metal artifact, of the annexed buildings and of the surrounding area. The reasons behind the purchase decision were the interest in preventing the antenna from being demolished by RAI and the surrounding wooded park becoming municipal property from being transformed into a public park equipped for the city.  

Parks

• 37.4847214.0605738 Villa Amedeo, V.le Regina Margherita, 32. Mon-Sun 09: 00-21: 00.  
• 37.4907114.0599839 Villa Cordova, V.le Count Testasecca, 11 (This park is located in the west of Corso Vittorio Emanuele). Mon-Sun 09: 00–21: 00. 
• 37.4866514.04358140 villa Monica, Via F. Turati, 112-130. playground 
• 37.48662414.021241 Dubini Park, viale L. Monaco.  
• 37.47828814.05416942 Garden of Legality, Viale Stefano Candura. 
• 37.49584414.05316843 Robinson Park, via De Amicis. 

Other

• 37.48556414.07093344 Pietrarossa Castle, Via Castello di Pietrarossa (Next to the monumental cemetery). It is assumed that it was built in the 9th century on previous Sicani settlements. During the Middle Ages it was a strategic center and around the end of the 11th century there was placed the tomb of Queen Adelasia, grandson of King Roger the Norman and in 1378 a parliament of Sicilian barons was held inside it to appoint the four vicars who were to govern Sicily (Government of the Quattro Vicàri). In 1567 a strong earthquake caused the collapse of the castle of which only the remains of two towers, still visible, remained standing. Its two remaining towers are visible just behind the monumental cemetery.  
• 37.49468414.04794345 Palmintelli Archaeological Park, Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII. The site came to light following excavations conducted in 1988. Originally the area on which the park now stands housed a funerary complex of cave tombs dating back to the Bronze Age, of which only one has remained intact. The rectangular entrance to the tomb is clearly visible, with a regular plan and flat ceiling, in which various archaeological finds have been found, some of which are kept at the Archaeological Museum of Caltanissetta. 

• 37.49657214.09067646 Maccalube of Terrapelata, Via dei Vulcanelli, Santa Barbara Village. These mud volcanoes are located on the outskirts of the city and offer the vision of an almost alien landscape. They are still active and are often closed to the general public for security reasons. Their last major eruption in 2008 damaged several neighboring buildings.  

• Gasometer of the Angels. A rare example of industrial archeology, it is a gasometer built in 1867 in the southern part of the ancient quarter of the Angels, on the road leading to the cemetery and to the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which greatly contributed to the modernization of the city; it was municipalized in 1893. The structure was originally used to produce city gas for public lighting, then with the advent of electricity and until the fifties it was the seat of the municipal kennel and later housed four ancient funeral carriages then placed in security elsewhere. Oggi l'edificio versa in stato di grave abbandono, malgrado sia stato dichiarato con decreto dell'Assessore Regionale ai Beni Culturali struttura «di interesse etno-antropologico particolarmente importante». 
• Mulino Salvati. Primo mulino a vapore della città, fu fondato nel 1866 dai due fratelli campani Francesco e Luigi Salvati in una località allora fuori le mura, e corrispondente all'incrocio tra le attuali via Salvati e via Sallemi. Il complesso edilizio fu costruito a cavallo delle due sponde dell'asta torrentizia, affluente del torrente delle Grazie, e a ridosso di un'ormai perduta fontana-abbeveratoio. Chiuse nel 1913.  

Events and parties

• Easter (Holy Week). La città particolarmente famosa per i suoi rituali pasquali, che si svolgono dalla domenica delle Palme al lunedì di Pasqua. A causa della somiglianza nelle loro tradizioni pasquali, Caltanissetta è gemellata con la città spagnola di Siviglia. Durante questo periodo la città si riempie di turisti ed emigranti che tornano per partecipare alle celebrazioni. Può essere difficile trovare un alloggio, a meno che non abbiate prenotato con largo anticipo.  
• 7.49190414.1516098 Coppa Nissena. Free. In primavera. È una competizione di arrampicata sportiva, la cui prima edizione si è svolta nel 1922. Poiché fa parte di numerosi campionati nazionali verso i quali si accumulano punti, vede una partecipazione massiccia di piloti da tutta Italia.  
• Vacanza di San Michele. 8 maggio. Ricorrenza, dedicata al santo patrono, nell'anniversario dell'apparizione del santo a Francesco Giarratana, frate cappuccino a cui viene ricondotta l'origine della devozione della città a san Michele. La statua è accompagnata in processione dalla Real Maestranza con guanti e farfallini bianchi, dalla Cattedrale al santuario di San Michele, dove rimane sino alla domenica successiva, quando avviene il ritorno alla chiesa madre. Il nome dell'evento sta a sottolineare la temporaneità del cambio di ubicazione della statua. 
• Musicalmuseo. May. Una competizione musicale annuale e una serie di concerti per gli studenti del ciclo di istruzione secondaria, provenienti da tutta Italia e da alcuni paesi europei. Gli studenti si esibiscono in vari musei e monumenti della città, mentre l'ultima serata di gala si tiene nel teatro della Regina Margherita. A causa dell'elevato numero di partecipanti (erano 2500 nell'edizione 2017) potrebbe essere molto difficile trovare alloggio in città e nelle città vicine durante le date dell'evento. 
• Festival Città di Caltanissetta. inizio estate. L'evento principale per la musica pop contemporanea in città, il concorso è iniziato nel 1989 e da allora si tiene ogni anno. 
• 37.46891714.0379019 Rally Città di Caltanissetta. gratis. June. Questo raduno, che inizia a Caltanissetta e attraversa San Cataldo, Marianopoli, Villalba is Serradifalco, fa parte del campionato nazionale Coppa Italia Rally e di quello regionale. 
• Festa del Redentore. 6 agosto. È legata alla costruzione del monumento al Redentore, sul monte San Giuliano, voluta da papa Leone XIII insieme all'edificazione di altri diciannove monumenti in tutta Italia in occasione del Giubileo del 1900. Il monumento diede inizio al culto del Cristo Redentore a Caltanissetta, che ha come massima espressione la festa che si svolge il 6 agosto, in concomitanza con la festa liturgica della Trasfigurazione. La celebrazione prevede che venga portato per le vie del centro storico un simulacro riproducente il Cristo nelle medesime fattezze del monumento che sovrasta la città, mentre la cima del monte San Giuliano viene abbellita dalle infiorate poste davanti al basamento della statua. 
• Festa di San Michele. 29 settembre. Festa patronale, al quale viene attribuito il miracolo di aver salvato la città dalla peste nel 1625. Una settimana prima di tale data, il simulacro dell'Arcangelo, realizzato dallo scultore Stefano Li Volsi nel XVII secolo, viene spostato dall'altare della navata destra della Cattedrale all'altare principale. La mattina del 29 settembre il sindaco offre un cero votivo al patrono, e la sera la statua viene portata in processione per le strade del centro storico a spalla dai devoti scalzi, che l'accompagnano con il caratteristico grido «E gridammu tutti! Viva lu principi San Micheli Arcangiulu»; seguono i fedeli, di cui molti scalzi per voto. La processione termina con il rientro del Santo in Cattedrale, salutato da fuochi pirotecnici. Durante la settimana di festeggiamenti viene allestita la tradizionale fiera di San Michele. 
• Processione dei Tre Santi. 28 dicembre. È legata al terremoto di Messina del 1908 che devastò la Sicilia orientale e la Calabria meridionale, ma non Caltanissetta. Nacque infatti lo stesso giorno del sisma per ringraziare i tre protettori del pericolo scampato e per chiedere la protezione dai futuri terremoti, e negli anni successivi la tradizione andò consolidandosi. Vengono portate in processione le statue di San Michele, del Redentore e dell'Immacolata, quest'ultima realizzata in legno, interamente ricoperta con foglia d'argento, allo scopo di ricalcare la visione descritta nel brano dell'Apocalisse di Giovanni conosciuto come "La donna e il drago" («una donna vestita di sole, con la luna sotto i suoi piedi e sul suo capo una corona di dodici stelle»). La sera del 28 dicembre i Tre Santi escono dalla Cattedrale, percorrono le vie del centro seguiti da una folla di devoti e rientrano nella stessa Cattedrale. 
• Kalat Nissa Film Festival. Un festival internazionale di cortometraggi. I film sono presentati in varie località della città, ma l'evento di gala finale si tiene nel teatro Regina Margherita. 
• Presepe vivente di Caltanissetta.  
• Borsa-scambio del minerale e del fossile. L'unico scambio di minerali organizzato in Italia a sud di Roma, è stato avviato nel 1978. 

What to do

• 37.468614.03891 Stadio Marco Tomaselli, SP1. Centro sportivo moderno e polivalente, è chiamato anche stadio Pian del Lago dal nome della contrada su cui sorge; dispone di un manto in erba naturale, una pista d'atletica e una sala scherma; ospita 12.000 posti a sedere ed è tra gli impianti più grandi della Sicilia.[senza fonte] Nel 1994 vi si è svolto un incontro valevole per le qualificazioni ai campionati europei under-21 di calcio del 1996 tra Italia e Croazia; in quell'occasione la Nazionale italiana disputò la gara con le maglie della Nissa poiché entrambe le squadre avevano la stessa casacca e la partita cominciò in netto ritardo. Sono state giocate inoltre la finale della Coppa Italia di rugby 2003 e il match tra Italia e Francia del Sei Nazioni Under-20 del 2013.  
• 37.493914.04782 Stadio Palmintelli, Viale della Regione, 49. È lo stadio storico della città, realizzato durante il ventennio fascista. Si trova nel centrale viale della Regione, offre cinquemila posti e ha il campo in terra battuta.  
• Tennis Club di villa Amedeo. Ufficialmente chiamato Tennis Club Caltanissetta, sorge nella zona a valle della villa Amedeo, da cui prende il nome. La storia del Tennis Club incomincia negli anni trenta del Novecento, quando fu realizzato il primo campetto in terra battuta; negli anni successivi la struttura fu ampliata con la costruzione di altri campi, e nel 1967 fu fondata l'attuale associazione sportiva. Oggi comprende quattro campi da tennis in terra rossa e a cadenza annuale vi si svolge il torneo Città di Caltanissetta, che dal 2009 è stato inserito nel circuito professionistico ATP. 
• 37.4833214.0555543 PalaCarelli, Via Rochester. Palasport di proprietà della provincia, con capienza massima di 5.000 posti, il quarto per capienza tra gli impianti del genere a livello regionale, palcoscenico di importanti eventi, non solo sportivi, succedutisi negli anni. Nel 2010 si sono svolti i Campionati Italiani Juniores di pesistica, nel 2011 i Campionati Italiani Under 17 di pesistica e nel 2012 i Campionati Italiani Assoluti di pesistica. Sempre nel 2012 ha ospitato le qualificazioni del Gruppo 2 per il Campionato mondiale 2012 di calcio a 5. Al palazzetto dello sport sono stati ospitati alcuni artisti nazionali come i Pooh, Antonello Venditti, i Modà e altri.  

Opportunità di studio

• ^{[link not working]}SiciliAntica (Associazione per la tutela e la valorizzazione dei beni culturali e ambientali), Viale dei Giardini, 12, ☎ 39 3203658799 (cellulare). SiciliAntica è un'Associazione culturale di volontariato, dal carattere regionale. Tramite le sue sedi dislocate in tutta l'Isola, promuove la conoscenza e valorizzazione del territorio, reperti storici o archeologici con vari corsi didattici, escursioni e visite guidate. 

Shopping

• 37.49589314.0499731 Libreria Sciascia, Via Edmondo de Amicis, 91, ☎ 39 0934 551509. In questa libreria, oltre a poter cercare dei libri è interessante sapere che quando era in vita lo scrittore Leonardo Sciascia vi trascorreva parecchio tempo. 
• 37.49110114.0599872 Mercato Strata 'a Foglia, Via Consultore Benintendi. Un tipico mercato di strada con molti negozi che vendono frutta, verdura e altri prodotti alimentari. Il suo nome significa "Strada della foglia", poiché il mercato iniziò nel 1500 con contadini più poveri che vendevano erbe selvatiche che raccolsero nelle terre circostanti. Durante le notti si trasforma in un quartiere del cibo, con molti ristoranti, pub e bancarelle di cibo di strada.  
• 37.48924314.0582473 Torronificio Geraci, Via Canonico Pulci, 10, ☎ 39 0934 581570. Storico laboratorio artigianale di torrone e bottega fondata nel 1870. 
• 37.4811514.0561934 Enoteca Lupica, Via Napoleone Colajanni, 58, ☎ 39 0934 575873. Enoteca con una vasta selezione di vini e liquori locali. Vende anche birre da micro-birrifici locali. 
• 37.49514314.0464015 Torrefazione Vancheri, Via Libertà, 148, ☎ 39 0934 581098. La torrefazione principale della città, che vende caffè speciali tostati localmente. 

How to have fun

Shows

• 37.49022214.0638131 Teatro Regina Margherita, C.so Vittorio Emanuele II, 1, ☎ 39 0934 547034. Lun–Ven 10:00–13:00 e 17:00–20:00 (botteghino). Costruito nel 1873, nella seconda metà del XX secolo il teatro fu chiuso per lungo tempo. È stato rinnovato e infine riaperto nel 1997 e da allora è stato il teatro principale della città. I biglietti possono essere acquistati tramite LiveTicket.  
• 37.49082714.0635482 Cinema Multisala Palazzo Moncada (Teatro Rosso di San Secondo Ex Bauffremont), Via Giacomo Matteotti, 10, ☎ 39 0934 547001. Nelle stesse sale del cinema si trova il Teatro Rosso di San Secondo con un suo cartellone. 
• 37.48861714.0641553 Supercinema, Via Dante Alighieri, 10, ☎ 39 0934 26055. 

Night clubs

• 37.49239614.0483294 Il covo del Pirata, V.le Sicilia, 55, ☎ 39 0934 1993338. Lun-dom 19:00–00:00. Pub con una buona selezione di bevande e bozze e cibo semplice. Di tanto in tanto c'è musica dal vivo. 
• 37.49063314.0612655 All Grain Taproom, Via Terranova, 11, ☎ 39 371 1550066. Lun–Sab 18:00–00:00. Birreria con una selezione di birre in bottiglia e alla spina, tra cui molte siciliane. Hanno anche bevande analcoliche speciali della regione. 

Where to eat

There guastedda è una focaccia di origini medievali ripiene.

Moderate prices

• 37.49045314.0630811 Gran Caffe Romano, Corso Umberto I, 147, ☎ 39 333 976 4450. 
• 37.49458214.0504692 Delizie d'autore, V.le Trieste, 242, ☎ 39 0934 552014. Mer–Lun, 08:00-21:00. Quando lo storico Caffè Romano nel centro della città si è chiuso nel 2014 dopo 91 anni di attività, gli ex dipendenti hanno deciso di avviare una nuova impresa con proprietà condivisa. Il risultato è questa pasticceria, che prosegue idealmente nella tradizione del Caffè. 
• 37.49299414.0524163 Forno Garzia, V.le della Regione, 8, ☎ 39 0934 591979. Lun–Sab 06:15–22:45; Dom 09:00–18:00. Una panetteria che vende pane, pizza alla siciliana, arancine, calzoni e diversi altri tipi di cibo da strada. 
• 37.4871214.06194 Frittoria, V.le Regina Margherita, 11. Un posto per il fritto. Le specialità sono i panini ripieni di panelle, melanzane fritte o crocché. 
• Strata 'a Foglia, Via Consultore Benintendi. Parte dello storico mercato di strada ha subito una radicale trasformazione durante l'estate 2018 e ora ospita molti piccoli negozi di alimentari di strada, che vanno dai panini alle arancine, alle panelle, alle polpette ecc. 

Average prices

• 37.49425214.0502575 Lumie di Sicilia, Via Lazio, 3,, ☎ 39 389 9365841. Mar–Dom 13:00–15:30; Mar–Sab 19:30–23:30. Cibo gourmet della tradizione locale a un prezzo ragionevole. 
• 37.50098214.0619766 La luna nel pozzo, Via Monte S. Giuliano, ☎ 39 0934 565710. Mar–Dom 19:30–00:00. Pizze ovali particolari in un ambiente rustico in cima a una collina che domina la città. 

Where stay

Moderate prices

• 37.49016514.0620421 Hotel Plaza, Via Berengario Gaetani, 5, ☎ 39 0934 583877. Un hotel a 2 stelle a 2 minuti dalla piazza principale. 
• 37.48959514.0631252 B&B Piazza Garibaldi, P.za Garibaldi, 11, ☎ 39 0934 680510. € 40, € 60, € 80 per una camera singola, doppia, tripla.. Un caratteristico bed & breakfast con pareti dipinte e un'atmosfera accogliente. Alcune camere hanno una terrazza che si affaccia sulla piazza principale e sulla cattedrale. 
• 37.49116914.0581723 Qalat Apart, Via J. F. Kennedy, 16 (a 5 minuti a piedi dalla piazza principale), ☎ 39 328 6590308. € 50, € 70, € 80 per una camera singola / doppia, tripla, quadrupla. Un appartamento modernamente arredato. 

Average prices

• 37.47959814.0301254 Hotel Ventura, S.S. 640, ☎ 39 0934 553780. Un hotel a 3 stelle appena fuori città, lungo una strada nazionale. È necessaria un'auto privata per raggiungere la città dall'hotel. Ha anche un piccolo ristorante. 
• 37.48736614.0621065 Antichi Ricordi, Via Villaglori, 45, ☎ 39 0934 541197. Un elegante bed and breakfast che affitta camere e piccoli appartamenti per soggiorni di breve e medio periodo. Ha un centro benessere interno. 
• 37.48820514.0627986 Palazzo Ajala, Corso Umberto I, 229, ☎ 39 0934 681026, fax: 39 0934 681026, @[email protected]. 
• 37.49310114.0605657 B&B Santa Lucia, Via Magenta, 20, ☎ 39 3890577432, @[email protected]. 

High prices

• 37.49891314.0508538 Hotel San Michele, Via Fasci Siciliani, 6 (a 20 minuti a piedi dal centro della città), ☎ 39 0934 553750. L'unico hotel a 4 stelle in città. Ospita un ristorante e una piscina. 

Safety

• 37.49046514.03099110 Ospedale Sant'Elia, Via Luigi Russo, 6, ☎ 39 0934 559111. 

How to keep in touch

Around

• Riserva naturale integrale Lago Sfondato — Una riserva naturale gestita dall'associazione Legambiente. È degna di nota per le sue formazioni geologiche, la sua flora, la sua fauna tipicamente mediterranea, la necropoli preistorica e i paesaggi pittoreschi. Le visite possono essere prenotate via e-mail o telefono.
• Riserva naturale orientata Monte Capodarso e Valle dell'Imera Meridionale — Una riserva naturale gestita dall'associazione Italia Nostra. È un paradiso per gli amanti del birdwatching, con oltre 150 specie che attraversano la riserva durante l'anno, di cui 60 vi nidificano. Nella riserva è possibile avvistare uccelli rapaci (gheppi, aquiloni, aquile di Bonelli) e uccelli che riposano durante le loro lunghe migrazioni (aironi, gru, predatori delle paludi). Le visite guidate sono gratuite, ma devono essere prenotate in anticipo tramite e-mail o telefonata.
• Agrigento and the Valle dei Templi — Sono a 40 minuti d'auto dalla città. I templi greci sono patrimonio mondiale dell'Unesco.
• Roman villa of the Casale — Una villa romana con mosaici a Piazza Armerina. Ci vogliono circa 50 minuti per raggiungerla.
• Caltagirone — A un'ora di auto. Famosa per la qualità delle sue ceramiche. Insieme ad altre città del tardo barocco nel Val di Noto, Caltagirone è patrimonio mondiale dell'UNESCO.
• 37.49537614.1455211 Ponte Capodarso.  

Solfatare

L'intero comprensorio nisseno è pieno di solfatare, quelle indicate sono le più vicine a Caltanissetta:

• 37.51752414.09587412 Cimitero dei carusi, Contrada Gessolungo, SP 202. Un piccolo cimitero a poca distanza dalla Solfara Gessolungo dove vi lavoravano e vi morirono (in particolare nella sciagura della solfara Gessolungo del 1881) a causa delle scarse condizioni di sicurezza. Un luogo di memoria delle vittime del lavoro e dello sfruttamento minorile (carusi) significa ragazzi in siciliano.  

• 37.51204614.0928313 Solfara Gessolungo. Una delle miniere più antiche, profonde e redditizie. L'attività mineraria nell'area fu registrata già all'inizio del XVIII secolo. È stato il teatro di molti incidenti in cui centinaia di minatori hanno perso la vita. Il più grave è probabilmente l'incidente del 1881 in cui morirono 65 minatori, tra cui 19 bambini. A causa della loro agilità e dimensioni ridotte, i bambini (noti in siciliano come Carusi) venivano ampiamente utilizzati nelle miniere. Coloro che morirono al lavoro furono sepolti in un cimitero vicino, il Cimitero dei Carusi, che oggi è aperto alle visite.  
• 37.50878714.12756414 Solfara Trabonella. È stata una delle prime miniere ad aprire e, una delle più letali. È particolarmente famosa per i numerosi scioperi organizzati nel corso del XX secolo dalla Lega dei Minatori locali e dalla sezione Caltanissetta del Partito Comunista e Socialista, per rivendicare condizioni di lavoro umane per i minatori e la repressione del lavoro minorile.  

Itineraries

• Strada degli scrittori — è un itinerario che si sviluppa lungo la tra Caltanissetta e Porto Empedocle.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Caltanissetta
• Commons contains images or other files on Caltanissetta
• Wikiquote contains quotes from or about Caltanissetta
• Wikinews contains current news on Caltanissetta

Guida : l'articolo rispetta le caratteristiche di un articolo usabile ma in più contiene molte informazioni e consente senza problemi una visita alla città. L'articolo contiene un adeguato numero di immagini, un discreto numero di listing. Non sono presenti errori di stile.