History

The Pro loco of Calascibetta is a no-profit association that cares of promotional activities for turism, aimed to protect and enhance the historical, artistic and cultural local patrimony.

                                             Calascibetta is a town of Arab-Norman origin located in the center of Sicily.

The name has Arab origins: "Kalàt" means fortified castle and "Xibet" is the name of the hill on which the town stands.

The urban core was firstly developed by the Arabs, who built a fort called "Castello Marco," whose ruins are found today under the Mother Church, and then with the Normans, particularly under Count Ruggiero of Altavilla, considered as the real founder of the city of Calascibetta. Ruggiero of Altavilla had received a mandate from Pope Urbano II to reconquer Sicily by driving out the "infidels".

With this purpose, Calascibetta was used as a fortress for the 30-year siege of Enna, that was still in the hands of the Saracens at that time.

           In 1340 the Palatine Chapel was built at the behest of King Pietro II D'Aragona. It is the second Palatine Chapel of Sicily along with the one in Palermo.

  During the Spanish rule Calascibetta was at the head of a territory divided into seven municipalities; it was during that period that churches and monasteries of high architectural and cultural value were built.

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