Enna Travel Guide
Picturesque and Historical Centre
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Located in the province of the same name the town of Enna towers above the surrounding countryside. Due to its height and central position in the island it is not only Sicily's highest major city, but at 931 meters, it is the highest provincial capital in Italy. The city has earned itself two nicknames, "Belvedere" (panoramic viewpoint) and the "Ombelico" (navel) of Sicily. With its picturesque and historical centre, Enna is known for its abundance of churches amongst which is the Baroque Duomo.
Enna was probably first inhabited by the Sicans, the indigenous people of central and western Sicily who exploited the elevated position of the site to defend themselves from the threat of Sikel tribes advances. There followed a Greek, and then later, a Roman town. After being re-conquered by the Romans, it fell in the 6th century to Byzantine control.
The Arabs transformed the name Enna into Kasrlànna (Qasr Yànnah or Qasr Yani), which was eventually changed to Castrogiovanni. The Normans, made it the political and cultural stronghold of their kingdom, and were followed by the Swabians, the Angevins and the Aragonese. In 1927, the ancient name of Enna was restored under Mussolini.
Attractions in Enna
About 35kms from Enna is Piazza Armerina. The town has a beautiful historical centre, but most visitors come here to see the Roman villa, the Villa Romana del Casale, with its magnificent mosaics. Also located in Enna province is the archaeological site of Morgantina which has been the subject of archaeological investigation since the early 20th century.
Within the town of Enna, two notable attractions are the Castello di Lombardia which houses the remains of the royal apartments, a medieval prison and six of the original twenty towers; and Enna Duomo which was largely rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 16th and 17th centuries, but has retained its Gothic apses.
The Alessi museum located near the Duomo has a collection of local artefacts, including an interesting coin collection and the collection of the Church treasury, which has many fine examples of Renaissance jewellery.
Activities in Enna
Spend a couple of days exploring the city itself and its surrounding area.
Relaxing
Lake Pergusa, 5km from Enna, is a haven for migratory birds and interesting species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Getting Around
You can easily get around the city centre on foot.
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