Piazza Armerina

**Piazza Armerina** (Gallo-Italic o Sicily: **Ciazza**; Sicilian: *Chiazza*) is an Italian *[[comune]]* in the province o Enna o the autonomous island region o Sicily.

## History
The ceety o **Piazza** (as it wis cried afore 1862) oreeginatit durin the Norman domination in Sicily (11t century), when Lombards settled the central an eastren pairt o Sicily aboot 900 years ago, but the aurie wis inhabitit syne prehistoric times.  The ceety wis flourishin durin Roman times an aw, as showed bi the notable mosaics at the patrician Villa Romana del Casale.

## Main sichts
The toun is famous chiefly for its Roman mosaics in the Villa Romana del Casale, aboot  tae the soothwast.  It haes a range o significant airchitectur datin frae medieval throu the 18t century.  The discovery an excavation o the well-preservit, heichly refined mosaics haes helpit attract tourists.

The medieval history o the ceety is manifest in some o its hooses, which show Norman or Gothic airchitectur.  The main landmarks include a range o airchitectural styles:

*The massive Baroque Cathedral (17t an 18t centuries), built on the 15t-century foondations o a umwhile kirk, frae which the bell touer wis taken an reuised. An aw oreeginal tae the 15t-century kirk are the Catalan-Gothic style windaes on the left side.  The dome dates frae 1768.  The façade haes a notable portal wi spiral columns bi Leonardo De Luca.  The interior, wi a single lairge nave, hooses the *Madonna della Vittoria* (Madonna o the Victory).  The Byzantine icon is tradeetionally associatit wi the banner donatit bi the Pape tae Roger I o Sicily durin the Cooncil o Melfi.  The cathedral haes an unuisual twa-sidit crucifix bi a unkent airtist.  The Diocesan Museum haulds  reliquiaries, airticles o sillerware, monstrances an ither releegious airt wirks.
*The nearbi *Palazzo Trigona*, hoose o the walthy faimily who commissioned the kirk.
*The Kirk o Fundrò, kent as St. Roch an aw, wi a carvit tufa portal.
*The nearbi *Palazzo di Città* (1613), characterisit bi a fresco ceilin bi Salvatore Martorana.
*The massive Aragonese Castle (1392–96).  It is square in shape, wi square touers.
*The kirk o *San Giovanni Evangelista* (14t century), wi a interior covered wi frescos bi Guglielmo Borremans an assistants.
*The baroque kirk o *Sant'Anna* (18t century), wi its oreeginal sinuos façade inspired bi the biggins o Borromini.
*The kirk o St. Martin o Tours (1163).
*The kirk o *Santa Maria di Gesù* (16t century), nou abandoned.
*The Garibaldi Theatre.

Ootside the ceety is the auncient kirk o the *Priorato di Sant'Andrea* (1096), foondit bi Coont Simon o Butera, a nephew o Roger I o Sicily.  It haes important medieval frescoes.

## Cultur
Piazza Armerina haulds an annual *Palio dei Normanni*, a re-enactment in costume o the entrance o the Norman Coont Roger I tae the ceety.  It taks place on 12–14 August.

## Leid

Piazza Armerina is ane o the so-cried "Lombardic" communes o Sicily, as its dialect differs notably frae that o the neighbouring region. This is due tae the destruction o the auld Piazza bi king William I o Sicily, an the subsequent repopulation by William II (accordin tae ither scholars, durin the slichtly later age o Frederick II) wi colonists comin frae"Lombard" regions o northren Italy, especially frae Monferrato an Piacenza.

## References

## Sources
**Sicily and Its Islands*, Ugo La Rosa, Ed., 1993.

## Freemit airtins
*Offeecial wabsteid
*Villa Romana del Casale Wabsteid 
*Piazza Armerina, ceety o Mosaics

## References
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