Sperlinga

Sperlinga is a town of the province of Enna on the Mediterranean island of Sicily with 827 inhabitants (as at 31 December 2012).

Location and data

Sperlinga is located 49 km north of Enna. The place is located in northwestern Sicily in highly hilly area, surrounded by extensive forests. The inhabitants produce grains, fruits and olives, or live from the sale of pottery, weaving and souvenirs. However, since young people have little possibilities of existence, still prefer to go many of the young population from to to find work elsewhere

The neighboring community are Gangi (PA) and Nicosia.

History

The first castle is already among the Normans occupied ( 1132 owned by Russo Rosso ). Based on the same place on the old castle founded in 1597 the Baron di San Bartolomeo di Belice the core of today, several times since then and developed by Citadel. Around it, following the course of rock and valley, the place of the center of a staircase is carved into the tufa rock of the massive pad of the citadel developed. Here the individual to a sophisticated, long-range defense system with connecting tunnels developed caves are inhabited in several floors considerably older and for thousands of people.

Attractions

As a special Sperlinga offers a unique, towering Cave Castle Hill. A high degree of self-sufficiency of the residents community over time was ensured by large stocks, a cistern system for water supply and even animal husbandry in the lower caves, so -called in later times during the Sicilian Vespers uprising of the Sicilians against the occupying French French troops in Sperlinga a large and long siege successfully resisted.

Many of the partly ancient natural, partly extended or neugehauenen caves in and around the castle were still in use until recently when shabby dwellings, today most are empty or find use as stables and chambers, although some successful extensions and conversions recently show that the caves can be expanded with the appropriate use of capital for modern and comfortable apartments with unbeatable climate conditions. However, this possibility has rarely been used since the place is now impoverished despite its great tourism potential. So far, no investor was willing to allow provide the necessary infrastructure for overnight guests, although already large and impressive efforts to renovate in the castle with the reconstruction of the Castle Church and establishment of a museum have been taken place. Lack of accommodation and restoration opportunities to travel the few visitors mostly down quickly without leaving money on the place.

Events

The inhabitants are called Sperlinghesi and revere as the patron saint St. John the Baptist ( San Giovanni Battista ), whose feast is celebrated every year on June 24 with a large, festive procession, arriving to the even most of the émigré former inhabitants of the place, together with offspring.

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