Piazza Armerina (Gallo-Italic of Sicily: Ciazza; Sicilian: Chiazza) is a comune in the province of Enna of the autonomous island region of Sicily, southern Italy.
![]() | This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in Italian. (January 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Piazza Armerina | |
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Comune | |
Città di Piazza Armerina | |
![]() Coat of arms | |
Location of Piazza Armerina ![]() | |
![]() ![]() Piazza Armerina Location of Piazza Armerina in Italy Show map of Italy![]() ![]() Piazza Armerina Piazza Armerina (Sicily) Show map of Sicily | |
Coordinates: 37°23′N 14°22′E | |
Country | Italy |
Region | Sicily |
Province | Enna (EN) |
Frazioni | Azzolina, Farrugio, Floristella, Grottacalda, Ileano, Polleri, Santa Croce, Serrafina |
Government | |
• Mayor | Nino Cammarata |
Area | |
• Total | 302 km2 (117 sq mi) |
Elevation | 697 m (2,287 ft) |
Population (30 November 2017)[2] | |
• Total | 21,768 |
• Density | 72/km2 (190/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Piazzesi |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 94015 |
Dialing code | 0935 |
Patron saint | Maria Santissima della Vittoria |
Saint day | August 15 |
Website | Official website |
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The city of Piazza (as it was called before 1862) developed during the Norman domination in Sicily (11th century), when Lombards settled the central and eastern part of Sicily.
But the area had been inhabited since prehistoric times. The city flourished during Roman times, as shown by the large mosaics at the patrician Villa Romana del Casale.
Remains, artifacts of old settlements and a necropolis from the 8th century BC were found in the territory of the comune.
Boris Giuliano (1930-1979) was born in Piazza Armerina.
![]() | This section is written like a travel guide rather than an encyclopedic description of the subject. (January 2022) |
The town is famous chiefly for its monumental Roman villa with its exceptional mosaics in the Villa Romana del Casale, about 3 kilometres (2 miles) to the southwest.
It also has a range of significant architecture dating from medieval through the 18th century. The medieval history of the city is manifest in some of its houses, which show Norman or Gothic architecture. The main landmarks include a range of architectural styles:
Outside the city is the ancient church of the Priorato di Sant'Andrea (1096), founded by Count Simon of Butera, a nephew of Roger I of Sicily. It has important medieval frescoes.
Piazza Armerina holds an annual Palio dei Normanni, a re-enactment in costume of the entrance of the Norman Count Roger I to the city. It takes place on 12–14 August.
Piazza Armerina is one of the so-called "Lombard" communes of Sicily, as its dialect differs notably from that of the neighbouring region. This is due to the destruction of the old Piazza by king William I of Sicily, and the subsequent repopulation by William II (according to other scholars, during the slightly later age of Frederick II) with colonists coming from northern Italy (then collectively called "Lombardy"), especially from Monferrato and Piacenza.
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Sicily · Comuni of the Province of Enna | |
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